News and Veteran Highlights
Connecticut Veterans Legal Center Files Amicus Brief in Doyon v. U.S.
September 2, 2021 WASHINGTON D.C. – Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC), with the pro bono assistance of Perkins Coie, filed an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit case, Doyon v. United States. CVLC enthusiastically supports Robert L. Doyon and the positive ramifications his case will have for all veterans seeking […]
Federal Court Approves Nationwide Settlement for Post-9/11 Army Veterans
April 28, 2021 NEW HAVEN, CT – Under a settlement of the federal lawsuit Kennedy v. McCarthy, the U.S. Army will review the discharges of thousands of Army veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma or other behavioral health conditions for potential upgrades. The settlement also dictated administrative reforms of the […]
CVLC and Veterans Inclusion Project Release Report on Racial Disparities in National Service Academies
CVLC and Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic’s Gatekeepers to Opportunity Racial Disparities in Congressional Nominations to the Military Service Academy declare 16 policy recommendations to more fully address issues of underrepresentation at the academies. More must be done by Members of Congress to disrupt a legacy of discrimination and exclusion of people of color. READ REPORT
CVLC and Swords to Plowshares File Amicus Brief in Lynch v. Wilkie
November 11, 2020 WASHINGTON D.C. – Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC) and Swords to Plowshares (Swords), with the pro bono assistance of DLA Piper, filed an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit case, Lynch v. Wilkie. CVLC enthusiastically supports Joe A. Lynch and the positive ramifications his case […]
A Continued Struggle for Equality: LGBTQ Service Members and Veterans
LGBTQ service members and veterans face unique struggles due to the long history of anti-LGBTQ discriminatory policy within the Armed Forces dating back to the Revolutionary War. We spoke to advocates for LGBTQ current service members and veterans about serving with pride. “A [less-than-Honorable discharge] is to the detriment of the service member or veteran to be […]
Veteran Victories: Thomas Hammons, Army Veteran
The week after September 11, 2001, Thomas Hammons signed up to join the Army at 22 years old. He immediately stood out as an outstanding soldier. He was praised in every performance review from 2002 through 2004, earning multiple medals. He moved up in the ranks and became a Pathfinder—specialists who navigate through foreign terrain […]
Veteran Victories: “CVLC Has Given Me a Sense of Independence and Promise”
At CVLC, we are fortunate enough to have the honor of working with truly inspiring veteran clients. While we fight to open doors to healthcare, income, and housing for our clients, we also strive to give our veterans a space to tell their stories. Before Army veteran S.A. came to CVLC, she was nearly homeless […]
To Help Stem the Tide of Veteran Suicides, VA Must Stop Turning Away Patients
CVLC’s Director of Discharge Upgrades, Attorney Margaret Kuzma, published an op-ed on Military Times on the pressing issue of veterans being turned away from VA healthcare. While veteran suicide rates soar, the VA turning eligible veterans away from care. “According to a new report from the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School (LSC), the […]