KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Eastman Chemical Co. has joined a program that trains soldiers for civilian jobs, a move company officials say will result in about 10 percent of the 150 to 200 chemical operator jobs being filled by Army veterans in the next few years.

Eastman signed the agreement Thursday to participate in the Army’s Partnership for Youth Success program, also known as PaYS. It is believed to be the first chemical maker to join.

Company spokesman Norris Sneed said the focus will be on chemical operator jobs, but other positions could be included, too. Besides chemicals, Eastman produces plastics and fibers.

The program trains enlisted personnel while they’re still in the Army, with the recruits signing a statement of their interest to work for the company once they complete their military service.

Near the end of their enlistments, the soldiers interview with the company for a specific job at a specific location. The program gives the soldiers priority in employment, said Col. Norvel L. Dillard, deputy commander of the U.S. Army 1st Recruiting Brigade based in Fort Meade, Md.

ACMSS is commonly referred to as the annuity for Forgotten Widows.

NEW BENEFIT FOR CERTAIN SURVIVING SPOUSES
Section 644, Public Law 105-85, November 18, 1997, provides that annuities shall
be paid to certain military surviving spouses. Under this authority, qualified
surviving spouses are entitled to a monthly payment effective December 1, 1997,
through September 30, 2001.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Only a surviving spouse who meets the following criteria qualifies for these
annuity payments. A spouse who:

1. Is not qualified for an annuity under any other provision of chapter 73, title
10, United States Code.
2. Is not entitled to an annuity under section 4 of Public Law 92-425 (Minimum
Income Widow’s benefit).
3. Was married to a deceased retired member of a Uniformed Service
described below at the time of such member’s death and has never been
remarried, and
4. Who either:
a. Was married to the member at the time the member became eligible
for retired pay, or
b. Had been married to the member for at least one year before the
date of death, or
c. Was the parent of a child born of such marriage.

Deceased Retired Member:
A deceased retired member for the purposes of this annuity is one who did not
decline participation in the Survivor Benefit Plan or Reserve Component Survivor
Benefit Plan, and either:

1. Retired before September 21, 1972, died before March 21, 1974, and was
entitled to retired or retainer pay on the date of death, or
2. Was a member of a Reserve component during the period beginning
September 21, 1972, and ending October 1, 1978, and

a. Died before October 1, 1978, and
b. At the time of death would have been entitled to retired pay under
chapter 67 of title 10, United States Code (as in effect during
December 1, 1994), except for not yet being 60 years of age.

AMOUNT OF ANNUITY
The annuity, under section 644, to a qualified survivor is $165 per month, and
shall be adjusted at the same time and in the same percentage as to military
retired pay under section 1401a(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code.
Consequently, as of December 1, 1997, the amount payable is $168.47 per month.

This amount must be reduced by the amount of any Dependency and Indemnity
Compensation (DIC) to which the annuitant is entitled under section 1311(a) of
title 38, United States Code.

• Nursing (e.g. RNs, LPNs, home health aides, nursing aides)
• Education (e.g. teachers, teacher aides, professors, lecturers)
• Financial/Accounting (e.g. accountants, bookkeepers, auditors)
• Information Technology (e.g. computer programmers, software technicians)

***********************************************
U.S. Small Business Administration

-- News Release --

***********************************************

Release Date:  June 13, 2007
Contact:  Dennis Byrne (202) 205-6567
or Christine Mangi (202) 205-6948
Release Number: 07-36
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news

SBA Announces New Patriot Express Loan Initiative

Program Focuses on Military Community Including Veterans, Service-disabled,
Active-duty in transition, Reserve and Guard, Spouses and Related Groups

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The SBA today announced the new Patriot Express Pilot Loan as the latest extension to the financial, procurement, and technical assistance programs the agency provides to the military community.  Patriot Express is a streamlined loan product based on SBA’s highly successful SBA Express Program, but with enhanced guarantee and interest rate characteristics.

“With military activations and extensions having a profound impact on entrepreneurs in the military community, SBA is committed to helping America’s service men and women during the continuing War on Terror,” SBA Administrator Steven Preston said.  “We believe that Patriot Express,
supported by SBA’s other services, goes directly to the needs of these American Patriots who wish to start businesses, and in the process encourages job creation and growth, an essential part of the President’s economic agenda.”

“SBA thanks the Presidential Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes for its guidance and hard work and Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson for his devoted leadership,” Preston added.

Patriot Express is available to military community members including veterans, service-disabled veterans, active-duty service members participating in the military’s Transition Assistance Program, Reservists and National Guard members, current spouses of any of the above, and the
widowed spouse of a service member or veteran who died during service, or of a service-connected disability.

The new Patriot Express Loan is offered by SBA’s network of participating lenders nationwide and features SBA’s fastest turnaround time for loan approvals.  Loans are available up to $500,000 and qualify for SBA’s
maximum guaranty of up to 85 percent for loans of  $150,000 or less and up to 75 percent for loans over $150,000 up to $500,000.  For loans above $350,000, lenders are required to take all available collateral.

The Patriot Express Loan can be used for most business purposes, including start-up, expansion, equipment purchases, working capital, inventory or business-occupied real-estate purchases.

Patriot Express Loans feature SBA’s lowest interest rates for business loans, generally 2.25 percent to 4.75 percent over prime depending upon the size and maturity of the loan.  Local SBA district offices will have a listing of Patriot Express lenders in their areas.  Details on the initiative can be found at www.sba.gov/patriotexpress

Recently, the SBA has expanded its face to the military community through an expansion of its Veterans Affairs Office, increased local outreach and goaling in its district offices and participation in Department of Labor job seminars.

SBA provides programs and services for veterans and members of the military community wanting to establish or expand small businesses.

SBA has veterans’ business development officers in district offices in every state and territory able to provide military community members full access to the SBA’s range of programs and services.  There are also five Veterans Business Outreach Centers located in: Albany, N.Y; Pittsburgh, PA; Lynn Haven, Fla.; Edinburg, Texas; and Sacramento, Calif.

In addition to district offices, SBA’s resource partners SCORE, Counselors to America’s Small Business; Small Business Development Centers; and Women’s Business Centers provide local and online assistance with: writing
a business plan, financing options to start or grow your business, managing the business, expanding the business and selling goods and services to the government.

For those who are already small business owners and who expect call-up, the SBA and its resource partners have expertise to assist with preparing their businesses before deployment, managing their businesses, selling goods and
services to the government, obtaining other SBA financing and financial assistance, and obtaining loans for economic injury – Military Reserve Economic Injury Disaster Loans (MREIDL) – Loans of up to $1.5 million are available for small businesses sustaining economic injury because an owner or essential employee has been called to active duty as a military reservist.

“More than 14 percent of businesses in America are owned by veterans, and SBA is proud that we guarantee more than $1 billion annually in loans for veteran-owned businesses,” Administrator Preston said.  “Veteran-owned
businesses make significant contributions to the economy and because of the unique technical and leadership skills they acquire through military service, they can become successful entrepreneurs.  As we celebrate Flag
Day we remember our military community and their patriotism on behalf of our grateful nation.”

The SBA and its Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) provides comprehensive assistance, outreach and support to veterans.  Each year the SBA assists more than 100,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans and Reserve Component members.

# # #

Editor please note: A Web-based press kit on the Patriot Express Initiative can be found at  . . .
http://www.sba.gov/patriotexpress/SBA_PATRIOT_PRESS_KIT.html

MilitarySpouseChannel.com (MSC), is a free video sharing service that enables military spouses, soldiers, and families to share personal video messages, photos, and audio messages for free, 24/7. 

MSC is encouraging families with deployed fathers as well as the general public to use the service to send special Father's Day messages this Sunday, June 17, 2007 to  deployed father's serving on the front-lines. To sign up for your own personal video sharing account visit, www.militaryspousechannel.com.

Treat Dad to brunch at the Cascade Community Center Sunday, June 17. This special Fatther's Day Brunch will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the menu will feature a variety of breakfast and lunch favorites to include Belgian waffles and made-to-order omelets, slow-roasted baron of beef and honey-glazed baked ham. Enjoy an assortment of cakes and mini-desserts and a chocolate fountain with marshmallows and fresh fruit.

Price includes punch, coffee and tea.

The cost is $15.95 for adults, children ages 3-10 cost $7.45 and children 2 and under eat free. For reservations, please call 967-4986 or 964-0331 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To help bridge the gap between the front lines and the home front, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) actively partners with the American public on not just Father's Day, but everyday troops are far from home.

Available to the public since April 2004, “Help Our Troops Call Home” allows anyone, even non-authorized exchange shoppers, to send Military Exchange Global Prepaid Phone cards to troops stationed in OEF/OIF. Since the program’s inception, more than 206,000 phone cards have been purchased.

“From the Soldier with a young child back home to the Airman who will spend his first Father’s Day away from dad, being able to reach out and speak to loved ones is critical to morale,” said AAFES Contingency Planning Chief Lt. Col. Steven Dean. “During my deployment, being able to talk to my family was my first priority.”

By simply logging on to aafes.org or calling 800-527-2345, dads, aunts, neighbors and even civic groups can take part in the “Help Our Troops Call Home” effort by sending any one of three Military Exchange Global Prepaid Phone cards, including a 550-minute denomination card capable of providing more than two hours of call time from any of 72 phone centers in Iraq, Afghanistan or Kuwait to the United States.

Anyone wishing to send a Military Exchange Global Prepaid phone card to a deployed Marine, Sailor, Airman or Soldier can log on to aafes.org or call toll free 800-527-2345. From there, the phone card may be sent to an individual service member (designated by the sender) or distributed to "any service member" through the American Red Cross, Air Force Aid Society, Fisher House Foundation, Navy-Marine Corps Relief, Soldier & Family Assistance Center and USO.

Information Source: Military.com

Did you watch the premiere of ArmyWives on June 3, 2007 at 10pm ET/PT? If you did, chances are you heard the title track "Is this Love", written and performed by: Thomas Anderson. Personally, I've fallin in love with it.  The song is a combination of easy listening and smooth jazz, you feel the passion, it's a true love song but don't take my word for it, listen to it for yourself!

Tom has graciously provided me with a promo of his hit single, click below to listen in. To purchase the CD today, visit: http://www.thomasandersonmusic.com/, www.cdbaby.com/cd/thomasanderson, www.myspace.com/thomasandersonmusic. This single along with a few other singles from the CD will be available for purchase and download shortly via iTunes.

In the meantime, don't forget to check out LifetimeTV on Sundays at 10pm ET/PT for the new drama packed series ArmyWives and join me over at the blog to discuss the current episode, army wife life, your experiences, lessons learned, military lifestyle, and much more!

I'm working a new gig over at Lifetime Television!  I along with three other awesome Army wives will be blogging about the new series "ArmyWives" premiering June 3, 2007 at 10 ET/PT and each Sunday thereafter. 

While titled ArmyWives, I think all military wives will relate to the stories, events, and drama shared by the characters in this new series based on the book  "Under the Sabers" by Tanya Biank, an active duty Army wife :)

Join us over at http://armyposts.lifetimetv.com/, to join in on the discussion. Post your comments, experiences and tell us what you think about the show!

Regards,

Victoria