On a day meant to honor the service and sacrifice of America's veterans, we wanted to highlight a handful of service member-specific initiatives at the Justice Department.

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division works to protect the rights of those who have protected us – America's veterans – by enforcing laws that defend their employment, voting and financial security rights. The Uniformed Services Emplovment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) , the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act of 1986 (UOCAVA) , and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) are three laws, enacted by Congress, to protect the rights of service members.

Employment Rights

The Uniformed Services Emplovment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is a federal statute that protects servicemembers' and veterans' civilian employment rights. Among other things, under certain conditions, USERRA requires employers to put individuals back to work in their civilian jobs after military service. The law also protects servicemembers from discrimination in the workplace based on their military service or affiliation.

The Civil Rights Division has filed 20 lawsuits under USERRA in 2009. Enforcement of this law is a top priority of the Division and the Department. For a catalog of USERRA cases, as well as other actions the Department has undertaken on behalf of veterans, visit: http://www.servicemembers.gov/cases.htm

Voting Rights

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act of 1986 (UOCAVA) was enacted by Congress in 1986. It requires that states and territories allow certain groups of citizens to register and vote absentee in elections for Federal offices. U.S. citizens covered by UOCAVA include members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and merchant marine; their family members; and U.S. citizens residing outside the country.

In October, U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Williams ruled in favor of a Department complaint that Virginia violated the voting rights of American military personnel and other overseas citizens by failing to mail absentee ballots in sufficient time for them to be counted in the Nov. 4, 2008, general election. Williams declared that Virginia's failure to mail more than 2,000 absentee ballots at least 30 days prior to the election violated UOCAVA and wrote in his ruling: “The right to vote means a right to cast a ballot that will be counted.”

Financial Security

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003 (SCRA) is a federal law that provides protections for military members as they enter active duty. It covers issues such as rental agreements, security deposits, pre-paid rent, eviction, credit card interest rates, mortgage foreclosure, insurance and tax payments.

In September, the Department announced the settlement of its first landlord-tenant case under SCRA. The Department filed a lawsuit on behalf of Colonel Debra Bean, a highly decorated member of the Armed Forces, who currently serves as Vice Commander for the 78th Air Base Wing at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. The lawsuit alleged that Bean's former landlord failed to return prepaid rent and security deposits after she terminated her lease early in order to comply with military orders to relocate.

The Department of Justice is committed to the vigorous enforcement of these statutes and all others, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act, which allow us to serve and protect the brave men and women who serve our Nation in uniform.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) works to support and enhance the Nation's criminal justice system through strong partnerships with key stakeholders.

Employing Returning Combat Veterans as Law Enforcement Officers

Department of Defense military personnel are committed on a large scale to support the Nation's war on terrorism, specifically the ongoing military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Law enforcement professionals and their families bear a significant burden in meeting these challenges as Reserve and National Guard units are activated and deployed. Law enforcement officers, like other public servants, share this responsibility as citizen soldiers.

The Department of Justice and law enforcement leaders across the country recognize that many combat veterans returning from deployment face many challenges as they enter new positions or return to positions held as federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

As a result, the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police to support research and best-practices on the integration and reintegration of military personnel into federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies.

In early 2010, BJA will release guidebooks for law enforcement agency leaders and veterans who are returning to their positions or who are seeking to enter the law enforcement career field.

Veterans' Treatment Courts

Veterans' Treatment Courts are hybrid Drug and Mental Health Courts that use the Drug Court model to serve veterans struggling with addiction, serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders. They promote sobriety, recovery, and stability through a coordinated response that involves cooperation and collaboration with the traditional partners found in Drug and Mental Health Courts, with the addition of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care networks , the Veterans' Benefits Administration, volunteer veteran mentors , and veterans and veterans' family support organizations.

In Fiscal Year 2010, in partnership with the Veterans Administration, BJA is launching a pilot Veterans' Court Planning Initiative which will be run by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.  This initiative will create a curriculum for existing drug courts who want to enhance their operational drug court by adding a veteran's component.  The curriculum will be piloted with 10 drug court teams, consisting of eight team members from each jurisdiction to be trained. Factors which will be considered in curriculum development and delivery will include: issues unique to veterans' experiences, identifying and addressing co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders, incorporating a mentor component. To follow the progress of the Pilot Veterans Court Planning Initiative, check out this BJA website: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/drugcourts.html .

To further these efforts, our partners at the National Association of Drug Court Professionals are launching a new Veterans' Treatment Court Clearinghouse, a comprehensive web site for Veterans' Treatment Court news and resources. For more information, go to: http://www.nadcp.org/node/430 .

The Department of Justice is proud to serve our Nation's service men and women. Through enforcement of veteran-specific statutes as well as state and local support offered in conjunction with our partners, we salute these Americans.
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