Across the country, many organizations now exist to tackle the problem of veteran homelessness. However, one group in Texas seems to go above and beyond the call of duty in comparison even with many of the nation's most successful efforts.
Family Endeavors is based in Texas but has operations in various parts of the country, all focused on getting homeless vets off the streets, according to a report from the Raleigh (North Carolina) News & Observer. Indeed, during the 2015 fiscal year alone, the organization put 280 homeless veterans living near Fort Bragg in North Carolina into permanent housing.
However, while that is obviously a great first step, experts say more needs to be done, the report said. There are still more than 1,000 homeless veterans throughout North Carolina, and even the organizations which exist to help them aren't necessarily able to do as much as they or many others might like.
Fortunately, any efforts here are likely to go a long way for all involved, so the more that can be done to support organizations such as these, the better off both these groups and the veterans they serve will be.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott recognized 364 Florida veterans – men and women who had served in conflicts from World War II to Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan – with the Governor's Veterans Service Award at the DeLand National Guard Armory on Tuesday. This is the second awards ceremony for servicemembers in January, ABC 7 reported.
"Last week, we recognized National Guard Day at the Florida Capitol to honor the men and women who are currently serving our state and defending freedom around the world," said Scott at the ceremony. "It is exciting today to award more than 360 Florida veterans for their courage and countless sacrifices in defense of our country. We are incredibly grateful for their service and must take every possible opportunity to thank our American heroes."
Local legislators turned out to show their personal gratitude with handshakes and thanks as veterans moved down the reception line. Volusia County councilwoman Deb Denys was among them.
"It was so wonderful," Denys told The Daytona Beach News-Journal. "After two hours shaking hands, I'd cried all my makeup off."
Sgt. Howard Ray Metzger Jr. was one of the veterans honored by the governor, ABC 7 reported. After joining the Army in 1991, Metzger served in Korea and Texas – where he earned two Army Commendation Medals – and later in Afghanistan, from 2004 to 2005, where he received a third commendation medal for assisting in the country's first democratic election.
Mike White was also in attendance. A veteran of two combat tours in Vietnam, where he served as both a helicopter crew chief and a military policeman, White received a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and four hard-earned Purple Hearts. In his life after service, he entered a career in law enforcement while constantly advocating for his fellow veterans.
One of the unfortunate realities for U.S. veterans returning from active duty is that their physical, emotional and financial status has almost always been affected by their service. In addition to any disabilities, there is always the risk that they will have to confront discrimination based on their chosen profession.
According to The McAllen Monitor, nearly half of returning veterans sought care at the VA using veterans benefits, many of them for mental illness. Texas is home to the second-largest population of veterans in the country, which means that there is plenty of need for affordable legal services to navigate the complicated legalese of civilian life. Thankfully, a program to do just that now exists.
The Texas Civil Rights Project recently announced a new Veterans' Rights Program aimed at assisting the 40,000 or so veterans living in the Rio Grande Valley.
"Veterans not only have the challenge of re-acclimating to civilian life – seeking health, education and other benefits to which they are entitled – but also often have the added challenge of navigating that process with physical or mental disabilities that they acquired during service," said Emma Hilbert, the program's attorney, in a statement to Equal Voice.
"Added to these challenges, some veterans face discrimination because of such a disability or their status as a veteran," Hilbert continued.
Former servicemembers living in the Rio Grande Valley already have the support of hundreds of organizations and groups, but Felix Rodriguez, Hidalgo County's veterans service officer, said that the legal rights office would offer the kind of protection many veterans are missing.
Any veterans or family members of veterans having trouble gaining access to public resources or residences will find themselves heard and represented at TCRP.
"I have veterans with legal matters who don't know where to go and it's a good thing we have this program now so we can send them here and they can get the relief they are seeking," Rodriguez told The Monitor.
One of the big issues that many veterans may feel these days when it comes to how they're treated politically is that they do not have much of a voice with lawmakers despite their service to this country. However, more legislative bodies are moving to increase their interactions with veterans so that these problems don't continue to present themselves in the future.
For instance, Illinois State Rep. Natalie Manley recently held a meeting of what she refers to as her "Veterans Citizens Advisory Committee," an event which allowed veterans, veteran advocates, and other concerned citizens to speak with an elected official about the realities facing former servicemembers, according to a report from the Joliet News-Herald. The first such event attracted more than two dozen people, and a number of important veterans issues were discussed.
Perhaps foremost among them was the challenges veterans face when it comes to receiving quality health care for their various medical needs, and how they can access the many benefits that ought to be available to them, the report said. In addition, many talked about how they felt as though they didn't have as much support in their daily lives as they might need.
"Let's bring people together," Kevin Leverence, a veteran of the Iraq War who suffers from post-traumatic stress, told the newspaper. "One of the best things we can do is find the best things that are already there. We don't need to reinvent the wheel. [Resources for veterans] need more energy. Putting energy, resources and time into those things. … That's where we're going to get bang for your buck."
The more that lawmakers can do to help veterans the better off those former servicemembers will obviously be. However, it might also be wise for veterans to reach out when they feel the need, because assistance might be as close as a phone call away.
One of the big issues that many veterans across the country face when they come home from service is that they often find it difficult to get full-time employment in just about any field, let alone one that lets them use the skills they picked up while serving. However, many companies are now trying to do a bit more to lend a hand in this regard.
Later this month, more than 80 companies will be in attendance at Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, for the Hiring Our Heroes Hiring Expo event, according to a report from the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Not only will attendees get the chance to speak with companies that are specifically looking to hire veterans, but they will also be able to receive training that should help them in their job search as well.
That includes an employment workshop with tips on how to craft a great-looking resume, how to search for the best jobs available, and how to nail an interview, the report said. The job fair begins soon after that.
In addition, veterans who are able to pre-register for the event, with proof of their service, will also get two free tickets to the Cavaliers game later that night, the report said. A number of organizations have come together to sponsor the event, including the VA, NBC News, the American Legion, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Ohio Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
This kind of assistance may be vital to the veterans who are able to attend this job fair. However, many similar events are likely taking place with regularity across the country, so any unemployed or underemployed servicemembers who are looking for work may simply need to seek them out.
One of the largest and most popular schools in the country for military tuition assistance has regained the favor of the Department of Defense. The Wall Street Journal reported that, following alleged recruiting violations, the University of Phoenix was put on probationary status by the DOD in October 2015, which meant that it could no longer recruit on military bases or enroll veterans using the tuition-assistance program.
Though the school is no longer on probation, it will be under closer scrutiny moving forward. The DOD has also retained the right to end the school's status in the tuition-assistance program should any non-compliance issues resurface.
"Our commitment to compliance, transparency and continuous improvement remains constant," said University of Phoenix President Timothy P. Slottow in a statement. "We are grateful to leaders at the Department of Defense and in Congress for supporting a clear process and high standards from all educational institutions, and for ensuring military students are able to use their educational benefits for career-relevant programs at University of Phoenix."
An internal review was conducted by the DOD to determine how the for-profit college responded to the probation. Over the last several months, it was established that the department's concerns – none of which were made public – had been adequately met.
The Military Times, however, obtained a letter which addressed the complaints. They included the university's efforts to gain access to military bases without prior approval from the chain of command, as well as the misuse of military seals and trademarks.
According to data from the DOD, the University of Phoenix enrolled more than 9,000 tuition-assistance students in 2014, who altogether took about 28,000 classes at the cost of upwards of $20 million. It is even more popular with veterans, the Military Times reported. More than 49,000 students used the Post-9/11 GI Bill there in 2014 – more than any other school in the country.
Help Our Heroes – a small nonprofit based in Virginia that helps veterans transition from the military to their life after service in the civilian workforce – has gained a lot of attention recently for all it has done to help employ veterans around the country.
Joe Fairbanks, a Navy veteran and former executive at companies like IBM, first came into contact with Hire Our Heroes after the Pittsburgh Foundation pointed him their way. Fairbanks credits his military service with laying the foundation for his professional success.
"That's where I gained the attributes such as a work ethic, personal responsibility and teamwork," he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
To give back some of what he gained, Fairbanks recently made a $60,000 donation to Hire Our Heroes. That generous gift will go toward establishing a full-time executive position within the organization, which up until now has run on nothing but the support of dedicated volunteers. Fairbanks hopes his donation will open up opportunities for fellow veterans in the business world.
"Whatever success I had and the awards I've had in my career, I attribute to the Navy," said Fairbanks. "Veterans don't always know the value they bring, and employers don't always see the value of veterans."
While Fairbanks' generosity will make a big difference, he isn't the only one supporting Hire Our Heroes. 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division recently announced that, since 2013, it has donated more than $500,000 to more than 150 veterans and their families through the nonprofit's program.
In 2016, Body Shop Business reported that 3M is introducing a Hire Our Heroes Calendar. With every $200 donation to their education foundation, about $1,800 worth of monthly deals on 3M products will become available.
"The calendar is a tremendous salute to both the military members serving our country and the veterans who have served," said Dale Ross, 3M's U.S. marketing operations manager. "I think shops will be proud to have this on display, knowing that they have contributed to helping our veterans' transition to careers in the automotive industry."
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) and its affiliate, 5Star Life Insurance Company (5Star Life) announce executive appointments at their headquarters.
5Star Life’s Business Development unit will merge with AFBA’s Marketing Department led by Cynthia Light, Senior Vice President, Marketing. Light joined AFBA and 5Star Life in 2011, most recently heading up the Business Development unit and has over 25 years of leadership experience in life insurance sales and marketing roles at Pacific Life and Shenandoah Life. Light holds the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations.
Michael Moser, previously Senior Vice President, Compliance; General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of 5Star Life, will expand his role to include General Counsel for the entire AFBA / 5Star Life enterprise. Moser joined AFBA and 5Star Life in September 2013 with more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. Previously, he served eight years as Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer for the Fortune 500 company, the Western & Southern Financial Group, and eight years in ascending legal and compliance roles at the Fortune 100 company, Nationwide Mutual.
Many veterans may rely heavily on regular medical checkups and other assistance, but often they do not have the means or capability to get themselves to all their appointments. Fortunately, a number of organizations have cropped up across the country in recent years to help with this issue, and one such group is operating with great success in Phoenix.
The Veterans Transportation Assistance Program is a collaboration between the MORE Foundation and Core Institute to help former servicemembers make any appointments they need with pickup and drop-off service, according to a report from Fox 10 Phoenix. Specifically, these organizations are paying for other transportation companies to come pick up the veterans who need help.
"What the MORE Foundation is doing is they're actually pre-paying and taking that benefit and making it so that anybody [can use it], they don't have to qualify for it," Dana McWilliams of Quality Transport Services, told the station. "[The service is for] anybody who doesn't have the means to get the transportation they need for their medical appointments."
This assistance is likely to go a very long way toward helping veterans get the help they need, in a timely manner. The more that can be done in this regard by other groups could similarly be extraordinarily helpful to veterans in need.
Often, new state and federal laws are passed specifically to help veterans in some way, whether it's through expanded services or additional help. However, some veterans groups are now saying that a bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives could actually harm a large number of former servicemembers, both health-wise and financially.
The FACT Act is a bill that would make it more difficult for all Americans who have been exposed to asbestos to get financial compensation from the companies that exposed them to it, according to a report from political news site The Hill. The reason this is likely to be so impactful for veterans in particular is that they make up about 1 in 3 asbestos victims nationwide.
Under the law, which likely has little chance of being signed by President Barack Obama, those who have gotten sick as a result of asbestos exposure would have to disclose personal information that is then put in public databases, the report said. Further, it would likely delay the payments they receive from the companies responsible.
This is a major issue, and one veterans will have to monitor closely as time goes on. That may be particularly true if they or someone they know has been exposed to asbestos in the past.