The TAPS Daily

Welcome to The TAPS Daily - your source for some of the latest news, resources, and thought pieces from across the military and veteran community during the COVID-19 response.

1. DoD Needs Blood Plasma Donations from Recovered COVID-19 Patients
   (Military.com)
   DoD wants to collect plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 as part of an effort to study its effectiveness as a treatment for the potentially fatal illness.
2. Military Medical Teams Are Deploying Again to Battle COVID-19
   (Military.com)
   Military medical and support teams have begun deploying to states hit hard by the resurgence of COVID-19, in an effort to relieve overburdened local hospital personnel.
3. Veterans Affairs COVID cases reach highest levels yet, but hospitalization rates are down
   (Military Times)
   Veterans Affairs hospitals hit their highest levels of active coronavirus cases this week while hospitalization rates of those patients reached their lowest levels since the start of the pandemic.
4. The Washington Code Talkers: Navajo president proposes new name for D.C. football team
   (Marine Times)
   President of the Navajo Nation has suggested “Code Talkers” for Washington’s NFL team name to honor WWII Marines who used the Navajo language to covertly communicate allied messages.
5. Trump administration rescinds foreign students rule
   (The Hill)
   The Trump administration on Tuesday rescinded a policy that would have stripped visas from international students whose courses move exclusively online amid the coronavirus pandemic.
6. 10 Things Military Members and Spouses Need to Know About Their 2020 Income Taxes
   (Military.com)
   The deadline for federal income tax filing is tomorrow, July 15. Here’s what you should know now that COVID-19 and the CARES Act has made the 2020 filing year interesting.
7. San Diego rallies around USS Bonhomme Richard sailors who lost possessions in blaze
   (Stars & Stripes)
   Donations for displaced sailors who lost possessions in the fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard are flowing in from the community, according to relief organizations in San Diego.

• Where the Music Began: The Inspiring Stories Behind Love Lives On
  "Love Lives On" album is a reminder of the guardians of our freedom and a reminder that the family also serves. Ten stories, ten families. Voices united.
• Videos: July 2020 Virtual Seminar Recorded Sessions
  Watch all the recent 2020 Virtual Military Survivor Seminar sessions on demand.
• We're All in This Together - COVID-19 Resources for American Public
  Resources and support to help anyone facing the impacts of COVID-19.
• TAPS News Archive
  Catch up on all the TAPS news stories over the years on the TAPS media resource page.

• Guardsmen, Reservists could see benefits expand after coronavirus missions end
  (Military Times)
  As National Guard and Reserve members remained mobilized for coronavirus response missions, lawmakers are pushing to expand their military benefits after that work is finished. TAPS appreciates Congress' focus on expanding military benefits for National Guard troops mobilized to support COVID-19.
• National Guard troops activated against COVID-19 are still paying healthcare premiums
  (Connecting Vets)
  National Guard members activated to fight COVID-19 are still paying healthcare premiums upon returning home. Senator Jon Tester, D-Montana, has requested it be waived by DoD. TAPS supports Senator Tester's request to waive healthcare premiums for Guard members activated during COVID-19.
• Going Back to School? Here's the 2020 G.I. Bill Rates
  (Military.com)
  While many questions remain for those headed back to school during the coronavirus pandemic,  we do know the G.I. Bill has the cost of that education covered for veterans and families.
• VA Partially Suspends Debt Collections on Veterans Through End of Year
  (Military.com)
  The VA has announced the partial suspension of debt collections to provide financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. TAPS appreciates the VA's partial suspension of debt collections.
• How troops can avoid problems with absentee ballots
  (Military Times)
  With the general election less than four months away it’s time to request your absentee ballot. The Federal Voting Assistance Program recommends requests for ballots be made by August 1.
• Legislation would put refurbished computers into the hands of veterans
  (Connecting Vets)
  Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in Congress that would provide refurbished federal computers to veterans, students, low-income families and underserved communities.
• Mailing Packages Overseas? New Rules Starting Soon
  (Military.com)
  Any packages being sent out of the country to an APO, FPO or foreign address must have an electronic customs declaration form, the Military Service Postal Agency announced.

• Coronavirus Ripple Effect: 9 Family Members Suffer Grief For Every COVID-19 Death
  (Forbes)
  As the deaths due to COVID-19 increase there’s a new concern about the mental health of surviving family members as they go through the grieving process.
• Mental health and suicide prevention during COVID-19
  (VA.gov)
  Strategies to protect your family and prevent suicide during tough times.
• How the stress of racism can harm your health—and what that has to do with COVID-19
  (PBS NOVA)
  ‘Allostatic load’ explains how chronic stress can cause wear and tear on the body, increasing your risk of hypertension, depression, diabetes, and more.
• How stress affects the body, according to doctors
  (Well and Good)
  Health experts break down how stress can impact nearly every part of the body.
• 5 habits for coping with stress that are actually making your anxiety worse
  (Business Insider)
  Things you reach for to get instant relief for anxiety might actually be making it worse.
• Why Deep Breathing Helps Calm Anxiety
  (Psych Central)
  Anxiety is this country’s most common mental illness. But deep breathing exercises can help.
• Sleep problems in early childhood associated with mental health issues in teens
  (UPI)
  Children who had irregular sleep routines from 6 months on and who often woke at night at 18 months of age were more likely to experience psychotic episodes as teens, a study found.

• Two Decks Separate Bonhomme Richard Fire from 1M Gallons of Fuel, Admiral Says
  (Military.com)
  For the second day, firefighters are attacking the blaze from the ship and the air, with helicopters dropping more than 415 loads of water on the USS Bonhomme Richard.
• New Cadets Arrive at West Point Amid Pandemic
  (Military.com)
  The transition from civilian to West Point cadet is different for the Class of 2024 as the academy adapts to the pandemic, starting with Reception Day, or R-Day.
• Japan: U.S. military coronavirus policy has multiple problems
  (Military Times)
  The Japanese defense minister said officials have discovered “a number of problems” with U.S. military measures to guard against the coronavirus among service members stationed in Japan.
• 8 Marines Earn Valor Awards for Daring Afghanistan Helo Raid with Hours of Close Combat
  (Military.com)
  Eight Marine Raiders were recognized by Marine Forces Special Operations Command for their actions during a 2019 mission in southern Afghanistan.
• F-16 crashes at Holloman Air Force Base as the surge in Air Force mishaps continues
  (Task & Purpose)
  Monday’s crash of a F-16 is the seventh aviation disaster for the Air Force since May.

• Former VA Hospital Employee Charged in Deaths of Seven Veterans
  (Military.com)
  A former nursing assistant at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia, has been charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of seven patients at the facility.
• Army Veterans Defeats COVID-19
  (Connecting Vets)
  Hospital staff cheered on a veteran discharged following a two-month battle against COVID-19.
• Before he wrote children’s books, Roald Dahl was a menace to Axis forces in the sky
  (We Are The Mighty)
  One of the most well-known children’s book authors was an ace fighter pilot during World War II.

• Nursing Home Residents Recreate Classic Album Covers While in Lockdown
  (Good News Network)
  After so many months in lockdown boredom a senior care home came up with a gem of an idea.
• Here's why so many Coke products and other sodas are out of stock right now
  (KHOU-11)
  Due to the pandemic, more people are suddenly buying canned beverages to enjoy at home.

Banner photo courtesy of the School of Advanced International Studies | John Hopkins University.