Comment on FR Doc # 2010-13870

I am for the revision of the formula proposed in DOCID: VETS_FRDOC_0001-0014. Response to A.3: Due to the current economic climate, more and more members of the Armed Forces are choosing to stay on Active Duty rather than face the threat of being unable to support themselves or their family due to low job availability. I believe three years is a good standard, but there should also be standard deviations based on economic data of the individual state averaged over a two year period to account for economic crises. This could easily be linked to a combination formula of the unemployment rate plus the no longer seeking employment population, as that is how the true jobless rate should be factored anyway. Along with this the number of new jobs, both temporary and permanent, should be factored in as well to find what measure of job availability there is. Response to A.4: The branches of the armed forces only pay for a member to return to a member’s home of record or an equal distance, therefore cost of living and average earnings level should be accounted for as many times service members have no other alternative than to stay where they have some measure of support. (1, Item 6) Response to A.5: Many times veterans will be concentrated in major metropolitan areas; this can be useful in creating a more targeted approach, especially in more populous states with vastly different economic conditions in different regions. I believe that a separate national level fund should be designated specifically for the aid of the homeless veterans; this type of aid should not be based on location but on need instead. To allow veterans who served honorably and voluntarily for the defense of this nation to become so impoverished that they beg at street corners is unacceptable by the mildest of terms; this country has a duty to assist its defenders in their time of need just as those veterans diligently manned their post when called. (1) http://www.uscg.mil/LSC/Alameda/docs/Residency.pdf