Women serve in a full range of roles in the military but, according to a recent report by Southern California Public Radio, they don't always feel adequately recognized or visible once they leave the armed forces and return to civilian life. The Department of Veterans Affairs, to its credit, has resolved to take steps to change this status quo and give female veterans a reception equal to that of their male peers. Taking the next step in such processes is critical in taking the next steps and improving the VA overall.
Becoming welcoming to women
According to the report, VA officials realize that a lack of services for women has resulted from the organization's founding with men in mind. Their task now is to expand the purview of VA hospitals and other affiliated agencies. Dr. Patty Hayes, who is serving at the chief consultant in the effort to serve female veterans more effectively, told Southern California Public Radio that today, 15 percent of individuals leaving the armed forces are women. During World War II, the figure was only 2 percent, which is a large reason why the system was created the way it was.
The news provider cited stories from women who have felt overlooked, either when going for care or in general. There is still a mainstream perception that military careers are solely male, and female veterans can have an uphill struggle to be recognized for their accomplishments and receive the treatments they need.
"It's weird to me that people don't think, or even let it into their head, that females go into the military and serve their country as well as men do," Ramona Yates, a Marine Corps veteran, explained to Southern California Public Radio. "It's interesting and bothersome at the same time."
Yates told the radio station that she goes to a women-only clinic opened by the VA, but feels "invisible" when in other areas of the hospital. This is the kind of environment that will have to change as the VA grows and becomes more capable of supporting all service members in their needs, specifically in getting them the medical care they need.
A huge impact
As previously mentioned on this blog, the suicide rate among veterans remains staggering. Getting the rate down requires drastic attention and, relevant to the VA's female outreach efforts, women in particular can be prevented from taking their own lives through active engagement with medical services. A recent VA study determined that the suicide rate among female veterans increased 4.6 percent since 2001 for those in contact with the VA – and 98 percent for those who don't deal with the VA.
Seeing such plain evidence of the positive effect health services can have on individuals' lives, the need to make women feel more included becomes obvious. By increasing outreach and introducing specialized programs, the VA is in a position to positively impact lives. The armed forces today are more diverse than ever before, and the constant presence of female service members can't be ignored. Programs for veterans are moving in the right direction by acknowledging these individuals' contributions.
It's a well-known fact that millions of veterans struggle with some of the scars of service, both visible and otherwise. And in the latter category, problems like post-traumatic stress disorder and depression are unfortunately all too common. The bigger issue is that they can also lead to self-harm, including suicide, and it's a very real problem in the veterans community today. Fortunately, more is now being done to address it.
An average of 20 veterans take their own lives each day, according to the latest and largest survey of suicide data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The data comes from 2014 – the latest year for which complete information was available – and more than 7,400 former service members commit suicide in that calendar year. That accounted for nearly 1 in 5 suicides of all types seen nationwide (down from 22 percent in 2010), despite the fact that veterans make up about 9 percent of the total population.
"One veteran suicide is one too many, and this collaborative effort provides both updated and comprehensive data that allows us to make better informed decisions on how to prevent this national tragedy," said Dr. David Shulkin, VA Under Secretary for Health. "We as a nation must focus on bringing the number of veteran suicides to zero."
A closer look at the numbers
The number of suicides in the total U.S. population has likewise surged during that 13-year stretch, rising 23 percent since 2001, but there was a 32 percent increase among veterans during the same time, the report said. When controlling for a number of factors, veterans are 21 percent more likely to take their own lives. In addition, nearly 2 in every 3 veteran suicides involved a former service member who was age 50 or older.
But it's worth noting that a good preventative step is simply reaching out to someone, the report said. The suicide rate among veterans regularly using VA services was much more in line with the national average, and grew just 8.8 percent from 2001 to 2014, in comparison with a 38.6 percent increase among those who did not use such services. Suicides among males saw an 11 percent jump among those who used VA services and 35 percent for those who did not. More stunningly, the rate for females who interacted with the VA only grew 4.6 percent, while that among females who did not surged 98 percent.
What's being done?
Fortunately, the VA is moving to address these concerns, the report said. It will expand care through its telemental hubs, hire more than 60 new counselors for its crisis hotline, and work with non-VA institutions to establish better partnerships and expand programs available to veterans who desperately need the help.
The more that can be done to both understand and address the problem of veteran suicide, the better off these former service members, their friends, families, and communities will be. Any efforts to provide them with help will likely go a long way toward helping to save their lives.
It's vitally important that communities have plans in place to help returning veterans re-integrate into civilian life. The unique strain of serving in the armed forces means these individuals sometimes have a circuitous route back to a happy and healthy everyday life. Fortunately, many cities and states have implemented helpful programs that aid veterans and family members in several ways. They can serve as examples of how to assist military personnel in times of need.
Several efforts involved in military outreach take the form of sports events or leagues. The communal spirit and pulling together associated with games can serve as a bridge between the sometimes-isolated world of returning veterans and the communities they have come home to.
Hockey league opens doors to veterans
A recent report from The Oakland Press highlighted a hockey program that caters directly to veterans with a current or pending disability rating, as well as those who earned Purple Hearts while serving. The news provider explained that there is no need to be an expert in the sport – any individual fitting the above criteria can participate, from the most to least experienced in hockey. The Michigan Warriors Hockey Program creates a space for hurt veterans to communicate and engage with one another in a recreational setting, hopefully helping them rejoin civilian life.
Wheelchair lacrosse proves life-saving
Fox6, a local news station in Wisconsin, reported on another league designed to help those with disabilities. Playing wheelchair lacrosse has proved to be an important and positive outlet for veterans who have suffered traumatic wounds. The psychological strain that can come with such an injury is a real risk, and playing a sport designed for those with a physical disability has the potential to restore hope and optimism.
"Many have gone down to the wrong pathway where there's drug abuses, violence. As soon as we bring them into adaptive sports and give them an ultimatum, 'We will kick you out if you go back to that life' – almost 100 percent of them turned around," Dr. Kenneth Lee, wheelchair lacrosse team founder and an Iraq veteran, told Fox6.
The news provider noted that the wheelchair lacrosse league is made up of veterans and civilians alike, brought together by the desire to enjoy a game with the attendant camaraderie and teamwork.
Games reach 36th year
Sports have long been harnessed as a way to help injured veterans engage with life after service. In fact, as Salt Lake Tribune columnist Kurt Kragthorpe pointed out,the National Veterans Wheelchair Games are in their 36th year. The event is an ambitious blend of sports and games, and this is the first year that it will include bobsledding – though just as an exhibition this time around.
This year's event has drawn more than 625 athletes who have served in the U.S. military, showing that there are many people eligible for such competitions. As more of these events pop up around the nation, individuals with pressing needs can find exciting new opportunities through sports and games. There is more than one way to help a veteran re-integrate into civilian life, and plenty of examples have appeared lately.
When service members return home and re-integrate themselves into civilian life, they often face challenges related to their time on active duty. The unique strain of military service can prove harmful unless these individuals receive assistance from concerned third parties. Thankfully, such groups are stepping up their efforts to be helpful and improve quality of life for veterans who have returned home. Facing longtime challenges with new technology is one of the interesting trends developing in this space lately.
Valuable counseling via text
A recent Military Times report zoomed in on an effort to connect individuals in crisis with help. The source noted that the military community is coalescing around the service, Crisis Text Line, which was originally developed for teenagers facing difficult situations. Over its three years of operation thus far, the line has branched out into new groups of individuals facing personal crises, veterans among them.
According to Military Times, it's impossible to tell exactly how many service members are receiving these texts due to the confidential nature of the program. That said, the organization behind the service believes military use is up 33 percent over two years. These service members are seeking help facing issues that can be triggered or exacerbated by the strain of life in the armed forces, depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts among them. Furthermore, financial problems tend to be more common than expected. All of these issues deserve attention to keep sufferers safe.
Due to the line's wide-ranging nature, urgent texts from a number of different groups are receiving replies, the source explained. Military members on active duty can text the line, as can veterans and family members helping their loved ones deal with these issues or facing problems themselves. The line's founder, Nancy Lublin, told Military Times that while the organization does not provide ongoing counseling or therapy, it seeks to assist those in moments of crisis, de-escalating trouble and helping individuals move forward.
Filling a vital need
Services that help veterans through crises are valuable and much-needed at present. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a sobering VA report that showed the suicide rate among veterans is still shockingly elevated. The survey, designed to determine an accurate figure of how many veterans commit suicide each day, put the daily figure at 20. That is lower than the 22 a day determined by previous research, but still frighteningly high, showing signs of a persistent crisis in the veterans community.
The Wall Street Journal reported that suicide is most pronounced among older service members, with 65 percent of those who die this way being 50 years old or older. The news source also noted that there are new efforts afoot to try and bring the rate down dramatically. Now, for instance, the VA has committed to holistic treatment methods that will seek out previously undiagnosed issues and hopefully intervene before it is too late. Mobilizing new efforts to save lives is necessary as a wide variety of groups attempt to make life better for those who have given so much to the country through their service.
Health care is one of the basic services every individual needs. Ensuring that no veteran goes without this necessity, no matter the types of health problems an individual may be facing, is one of the most pressing efforts facing the veterans organizations active today. The past few years have seen great strides and some setbacks, but through it all there has been a focus on achieving positive new outcomes for service members who have returned to civilian life.
The VA takes on cancer
According to Military Times, the Department of Veterans Affairs is part of a massive new effort to fight cancer using any means possible. The source noted that the current project comes from a White House initiative referred to as a "moonshot" and budgeted at $1 billion. The stated aim of the plan is to spend five years of concerted effort gaining 10 years' worth of medical knowledge.
The practical element of the partnership involves new capabilities for hospitals aligned with the VA. According to Military Times, the veterans organization now has agreements with the National Cancer Institute, Prostate Cancer Foundation and more. This is on top of an alliance with computing giant IBM and its Watson artificial intelligence program.
"We're essentially taking expertise that exists in our high-end centers and making sure that it is available in even our most rural centers," VA Undersecretary for Health Dr. David Shulkin told the news provider. "It's going to result in different treatment options and better decisions, and making sure every veteran is getting world-class cancer care."
The department's targets are ambitious when it comes to how many individuals will receive treatment – Military Times explained that 10,000 or more veterans are in line for therapy to help combat cancers. The involvement of the IBM computer may help doctors concoct treatment regimens that are personalized to each patient. This level of customization can help save lives, and it is fast: The news source reported that Watson requires as little as a day to create treatment plans in some cases.
The VA's efforts to defeat cancer are notable for their focus and ambition, and they should represent a promising addition to the capabilities of affiliated hospitals and other medical facilities. Every improvement to VA care is good news for veterans, whose care needs once they return from active duty need to receive consistent and sustained attention.
The drive to improve
The anti-cancer initiative is part of a greater effort to improve medical care at the VA. Massachusetts TV station WWLP recently reported that the recently released congressional report into conditions at the organization shows signs of progress. The VA has hired over 100 workers since over the course of two years, and while consistency is still in line for improvement, 97 percent of medical appointments at VA facilities are now handled within 30 days.
Veterans' service must be rewarded with great treatment once they have returned home. Therefore, the ongoing improvements to VA medical care, both incremental and drastic, are welcome developments. Leaders within the organization will no doubt strive to keep progress going over the next few years and beyond.
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Armed Forces Benefit Association and its affiliate, 5Star Life Insurance Company, proudly announce that, effective 1 July, 2016, they have partnered with the National Guard Association of South Carolina in support of its State Sponsored Life Insurance program. read more »
The idea of "cloud security" might sound to average individuals like something they don't have to worry about on their own. After all, the term alone may seem a little complicated, and this type of online service isn't necessarily used by everyone, at least not actively. However, people should understand that if they have smartphones and other connected devices, they may be saving things like pictures, videos, documents, or simply songs to the cloud without even realizing it.
And for that reason, people need to do more to educate themselves about what the cloud is, and how they can use these platforms without putting themselves at risk of identity theft. One recent study found that in 2017 some 443 billion gigabytes (or 443 exabytes) will be used in the cloud worldwide every month, up about 350 percent from cloud traffic seen in 2012, according to a report from Dark Reading. Furthermore, cloud traffic is expected to grow another five times or so over the next five years.
How to protect it
When people are saving things to their own personal cloud services, whether it's via Dropbox, Google Docs, Apple iCloud, or something else, what they have to keep in mind is these accounts should be protected like any other online account. That ought to include having a robust password – at least 10 characters, with numbers, letters, and symbols included – and only uploading files that are free of personally identifying information or financial data that could be used in identity theft.
Moreover, people should only connect to these accounts when they know they are on a secure internet connection. What that means is they shouldn't access personal accounts like this if they're using public WiFi networks, such as those at a cafe or even their respective offices. Simply put, when uploading or downloading sensitive information online, people should be sure they can trust the connection.
Taking the next step
Some security experts also recommend investing in some platforms that could provide additional layers of security, the report said. For instance, some cloud services come with encryption so that only the people who are supposed to access a given file can actually view it, while others do more to give users control over their accounts on an ongoing basis. This, of course, often requires people to pay for their cloud services, which may go above and beyond what they think will actually be needed to do to protect themselves. However, experts would further caution that if sensitive data is being put onto those servers, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
Indeed, the best advice people can get when it comes to online security of any kind is to be cautious and use common sense whenever possible. While some may not tap cloud services much right now, it's likely that their use of these platforms will grow in the near future, and the more they can do now to understand the risks that can come with it, the better off they'll be down the road.
Military members are known for their extreme drive to support and protect Americans at home and abroad, as well as their unwavering commitment to the civilians in their communities upon returning stateside from service overseas. Veterans play a crucial role in many communities and, because there has been so much work to be done to improve the livelihood of all Americans in the past few years, they have been invaluable in many local areas across the nation of late.
"The job of a veteran is never truly finished."
The job of a veteran is never truly finished, and the training received while going through boot camp and serving in combat can be easily applied to some of the demanding jobs that need to be covered in civilian life. One group of veterans is working to contribute to the improvement of certain areas in one major city through simple projects, and this is expected to have a relatively large impact on the municipality's residents in the near future.
Rebuilding a broken city
Military Times recently reported that Operation Motown Muster, a deployment of sorts involving volunteers who served in the military, was launched by a Missouri-based nonprofit called The Mission Continues to help revitalize underserved areas of Detroit. According to the news provider, this current project has the biggest scale of any launched by the group, and includes dozens of veterans who will contribute to construction, beautification and rebuilding projects in some of the toughest areas of the Motor City.
"When you're not part of something that's bigger than yourself, you lose that identity. You become isolated, and a lot of us tend to go to dark places," Denver resident and post-September 11 veteran Ben Eichel told Military Times. "So, The Mission Continues was there and got me involved in the community. It helped me reintegrate in civilian society effectively, because I learned that I'm not just a veteran."
The source pointed out that the deployment aims to clear out empty lots, beautify certain parks and create an art gallery out of a dilapidated classroom in the city, while individuals involved in the project will spend several days completing the projects.
"We believe very strongly that military veterans are really uniquely poised to help try to solve some of these community challenges all over the country,"one of leaders of The Mission Continues and former Marine combat engineer Mary Bruggeman told Military Times.
Reciprocating the assistance
The Times-News reported that one community in Burlington, Vermont, has pulled together to work on a construction project that will give a veteran who lost his ability to walk while serving in Afghanistan a new home. This is just one of countless stories in which communities work to support veterans in their area, and shows the value of reciprocating the support and assistance military members give to civilians throughout their careers and long after retiring.
Veterans and civilians working together to complete projects can help to unify communities and assist in the process of re-acclimating service members to their lives at home.
Although awareness is largely viewed as one of the most important weapons in the fight against post-traumatic stress disorder among the veteran community, another critical facet is destigmatizing the affliction in the eyes of sufferers. Because PTSD has long had such a severe stigma in some circles, many veterans will end up being ostracized from their local communities, or might even avoid getting help given their lack of desire to be classified as someone living with the disorder.
"Destigmatizing a disorder is no easy task."
Destigmatizing a disorder of any kind is no easy task, and demands a joint effort between the veteran community and civilians who interact with former military members to truly succeed. Luckily, the call to action has been heard across the nation, and many projects have been launched to actively inform Americans of what PTSD really entails and how it impacts sufferers on a daily basis. One advocacy group has been working hard to contribute to this cause.
Spreading awareness
The Detroit Free Press recently reported that Honor for All, an advocacy group run by veterans and based in Royal Oak, Michigan, has made its core mission the complete eradication of stigmas related to PTSD. The group's leadership believes that achieving this objective would have a profoundly positive impact on not only the veteran community, but civilians who are around individuals suffering from PTSD on a daily basis. Interestingly, the group has a relatively intense connection to the dangers of this stigma.
According to the news provider, Honor for All's vice president, Kent Hall, served in the Army during Vietnam and suffered from severe PTSD, then attempted a suicide by cop back in 1985 due to his lack of treatment and knowledge of the disorder. This is not all that uncommon in the veteran community, but Hall affirmed that the combination of a highly skilled officer on that fateful day with the support he received following the event has helped him live on. Now he wants to help others who live under similar circumstances.
The source pointed out that Michigan Representative Tom Barrett explained that more veterans die from suicide than in combat today, which is why he commemorated Post Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day this week. The Detroit Free Press noted that Honor for All is looking to change the moniker of PTSD to post-traumatic stress injury in hopes that it will help to reduce stigma.
Simple steps toward improvement
PTSD is too often misunderstood, but this is likely caused by the relative novelty of scientific and medical research focused on the disorder. Although PTSD has been well-known for decades, intelligent conversations and advocacy for sufferers did not truly pick up until the turn of the century, but improvements have been widespread since that point.
Veterans and their neighbors can find helpful resources related to treating and understanding PTSD through a range of groups and government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The vast majority of parents across the country know full well that their kids are online for big chunks of almost every day. Whether they're chatting with friends, watching videos, or spending time on social media, children tend to live a lot of their lives on the internet. However, that comes with an inherent risk, because many may not know about the potential threats they face online. It's therefore very important for parents to educate them about how to avoid these problems.
One issue that many kids face online is that cyberbullying is still quite prevalent on social networks, according to a report from the Wichita Eagle written by Denise Groene, the state director of the Better Business Bureau of Kansas. While this used to be playground or classroom territory in the past, the ability of mean kids to track down and harass others online spreads to 24 hours a day with the internet, and can be extremely harmful. As such, telling kids how to handle and report this type of treatment is vital to their ongoing mental and perhaps even physical health.
What else should kids know about social networks?
In addition, kids may not have the filter to know what they should and shouldn't say or do online, Groene wrote. (This is, unfortunately, also true of many adults.) Problematic posts – like those with objectionable language, photos, videos, and so on – can end up coming back to haunt them even years later, and do damage to their reputations that can cost them significant opportunities down the road.
How to keep kids protected
Of course, it falls to parents to help kids understand the threats they face online, and not just from their peers and themselves, the report said. Kids may also serve as prime targets for criminals looking to steal personal or otherwise sensitive information, particularly when it comes to phishing scams that ask them to simply turn the information over. Most children aren't going to be savvy enough to identify these potential threats of this kind, often because no one has told them what to look out for.
This is also true when it comes to kids potentially clicking on links or downloading files that contain viruses and other malware, which can then be used for things like identity theft, said Groene. For this reason, it's important for parents to not only talk to their kids about what they should and shouldn't click on, but also to make sure every device on their networks has comprehensive anti-virus, firewall, and other security software in place. That can help to ensure that even if a mistake is made by a child, the resulting damage will be as limited as possible.
Again, many adults may not know the ins and outs of cybersecurity in this regard. As such, the more they can do to educate themselves before passing any knowledge on to their kids, the better off everyone in the household is going to be in the future.