The Military Aviation Preservation Society's Air Museum is a unique collection of historical war machines. The museum features displays from America's military past. Such displays include a vintage collection of Rosie the Riveter and a variety of B-17 and B-24 bombers. On Oct. 24, the MAPS museum will expand its offerings by adding an event called "Welcome Home Veterans." This two-hour ceremony will honor veterans who served between 1950 and 1975.
Because this year is the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the 65th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, MAPS decided it was an opportune time to thank the servicemembers who fought in these conflicts.
"We want to bring together these veterans and honor their service to our country," Valerie Kinney, a chairperson for the event, told The Suburbanite. "Those who served during this time period were not given the appropriate recognition due to them as U.S. servicemen and servicewomen. We want them to know that the American people care. It is long overdue."
"Welcome Home Veterans" will begin at 1 p.m. with a parade from Jackson High School to the MAPS museum. At the event, there will be food, vendors and a ceremony for the veterans. Participants are encouraged to register by Sept. 25.
Becoming a police officer is truly an honor. It takes dedication and bravery, especially during your first months on the job. Use this time wisely and you could set the baseline for a very successful career. Below are some common mistakes rookie police officers make and advice on how to avoid them.
1. Not asking questions
No one goes into their first day of work and knows everything. It is unwise to make guesses in an attempt to impress your superiors. This can lead to dangerous mistakes later on. You should not be embarrassed to ask questions to help yourself learn procedure and hierarchy. Your fellow officers will likely be happy to help you learn the ropes early on.
2. Displaying cockiness
You may feel a certain amount of pride in your new position, and that is good. However, do not go overboard with it. Try to remain humble in your position. If you act as though you know everything and are better than your fellow officers, you could damage the crucial bond between members of a police unit.
3. Going it alone
There is no doubt that the first few months of police service are challenging. Trying to navigate them alone can lead you to burn out or turn bitter toward the job. During your Field Training and Evaluation Program, you are expected to learn and seek guidance from fellow officers. This is the perfect opportunity to find a mentor in your unit. He or she can be your partner or a senior officer. This individual can provide you with support and advice as you traverse the early stages of your law enforcement career. He or she can also help you through your first difficult experiences.
4. Not respecting superiors
Officers who have put in more years than you have experienced a lot on the job. They understand its workings and may have witnessed some difficult things. If you come in without respect for their service or for the job, you are unlikely to win their favor and support. Keep your uniform cleaned and pressed, be on time and be willing to listen.
5. Being too hard on yourself
It is inevitable that you will make mistakes in the beginning. The only way you are letting anyone down is by not allowing yourself to move past your mistakes. Acknowledge them, learn from them and then move past them.
6. Holding yourself back
While you should remain humble and respectful, it does not mean you should prohibit yourself from displaying your full potential. If you know the answer, speak up. If you are able to make the arrest, do it. Your superiors will likely appreciate your capabilities, but you will never know if you hold yourself back.
You earned the right to wear the badge of a police officer. That is no small accomplishment and one you should be proud of. However, rookie officers can sometimes make mistakes that will hinder their career. Avoid the common ones listed above to ensure that your first few months on the job set the precedent for your success.
As a probationary firefighter, it is your time to prove yourself and find your place on your new team. It is a hectic six- to eight-month period when you will be pushed to your limits, but you may also discover a new family in your stationmates. AFBA has compiled some helpful suggestions to help you make the most of your probationary period.
1. Show up early, stay late
It demonstrates dedication to the job and respect for your co-workers when you show up early for your shift. Fire Rescue 1 recommended arriving at least 30 minutes early to allow yourself time to ask questions about the prior shift and gear up. You should also be one of the last in your shift to leave. Assist with shift change or help out around the station. Show that you are not just there to punch in and punch out.
2. Find a mentor
This is one of the most important suggestions for a probationary firefighter. A mentor will help guide you through any difficulties you may have during your transition period because he or she has been in your position. Aligning yourself with someone respected in the station can put you in a successful position down the road.
3. Take pride in the job
Being a firefighter is an honor. If you treat it as a means to a paycheck, you are unlikely to make many friends or move up in your crew. Respect your work and honor your career choice. Remember that there are many who want to wear the badge, and you have been given the opportunity.
4. Don't be afraid to ask questions
It is better to ask a question and know how to do something rather than guessing and getting it wrong. Firefighting is not a profession with a large margin for error. It is better to get clarification on things you are unsure about than to make and repeat mistakes.
5. Stay mentally and physically sharp
Fighting fires is a taxing job. You will need to keep yourself healthy and mentally sound to keep up with the daily demands. Establish a workout routine and find methods to help you relax at the end of the day.
Congratulations on pursuing a career as a firefighter. The probationary period may be difficult, but the rewards of the job make it all worth it. Hopefully, AFBA's tips from above will help make your transition a little easier.
Many know country music star Kip Moore for his songs "Something Bout a Truck" and "Beer Money," but lately the artist has focused his attentions on a new project. In partnership with CASE Construction, Moore will kick off a music festival to honor veterans. The event is called the Labor of Love Music Festival and will take place Sept. 7 during the Labor Day events in Festival Park in Racine, Wisconsin. Moore hopes the concert will draw attention to the importance of hiring veterans when they leave the military for life after service.
CASE Construction especially hopes to promote the hiring of veterans in skilled labor jobs, such as manufacturing and construction.
"There is a very real skilled labor shortage in America today, from welders and machinists to heavy equipment technicians and operators. It's important we help develop that next generation of talent and our veterans may be our greatest resource," the vice president of CASE Construction, Jim Hasler, said in a press release.
In addition to promoting veteran hiring, Moore has dedicated all the proceeds from the festival to the Wounded Warrior Project. Tickets for the event are $14 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com.
Thanks to a new law, veterans who use their G.I. Bill benefits to attend college will be given in-state tuition rates at any public university in the country. According to The Shreveport Times, many veterans avoid returning to school when they enter life after service because they cannot afford out-of-state tuition. The Post 9/11 G.I. Bill only covers up to $20,000 of a veteran's higher education costs. The College Board reported that the average cost of out-of-state tuition at a four-year public institution is about $23,000 per year. The average cost for in-state at the same institution was only slightly over $9,000 per year.
The Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, which officially became a law on Aug. 7, 2015, requires public universities to offer veterans in-state rates no matter which state they hold residency in.
Jason Hansman of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America told The Shreveport Times that the new law is a win-win for states and veterans.
"[This law] will benefit both states, by allowing them to retain new veteran residents who end their period of active service and decide to remain local, and veterans, who will no longer face financial constraints in attending the public school of their choice," Hansman said.
When military members enter civilian life, they bring with them the wide range of skills they learned in their service. Aside from being well-disciplined, highly organized and excellent team players, military servicemembers learn specialized skills in their specific roles. These abilities are useful in civilian careers, but it is important to translate them into terms that civilian employers understand. Otherwise, you may be passed up for a position you are highly qualified for due to lack of understanding on the company's end. Below are some examples of military careers, which civilian careers they relate to and how to translate the skills involved to civilian terms.
1. Infantryman
Instead of writing that your military job was to shoot machine guns, you could say that you were responsible for operating dangerous technology in high-stress situations. Infantrymen are good at taking orders but also have the ability to think quickly on their own. This could be translated to strong team skills with an ability for self-direction.
2. Communication strategist
Roughly equated to a civilian career, a military communication strategist could pursue a job as a public relations manager. These individuals are highly organized with excellent communication skills. For your resume, you could write that you are gifted with planning, event coordination and public communication.
3. Commanding officer
When civilian employers see this title on your resume, they might be able to guess that you are a strong leader. However, it is your job to communicate what kind of leader the military has shaped you into. Give them an idea of how many people you were in charge of. Describe your demeanor under stress and pressure. You could also mention that your time as a CO gave you the ability to train a wide range of personalities to work together as a team.
4. Interpreter
A servicemember with this job title could pursue a civilian career as a translator or cultural awareness coordinator. Experience with learning and applying new languages and cultural customs makes these individuals excellent candidates for serving companies who do a large amount of overseas business.
5. Cyber warfare operations manager
The CWOM is responsible for planning and creating a security infrastructure for his or her unit's network. In a digital landscape that is constantly being threatened with cyberattacks, these individuals could pursue jobs as information security professionals. On your resume, mention that you have knowledge of the international threat landscape and experience with protecting highly sensitive information.
6. Corps engineer
Servicemembers who spent time as corps engineers have a vast array of technical, mechanical and infrastructure knowledge. Corps engineers have experience with building planning and development, flood prevention, hydropower and communication improvement. You could apply these skills to careers in construction or city planning.
7. Logistics officer
These individuals should have no trouble finding a civilian job as a logistician. On your resume, be sure to communicate that you are capable of analyzing and coordinating logistical functions of a unit that depends on accurate information. You could write that your experience working logistics with the military taught you the important of thorough analysis and accurate interpretation. Logistics officers also help the daily processes run smoothly and efficiently, a skill which may be appreciated in a civilian company.
The time and effort you put into learning the skills required to do your military job should not be wasted. Remember that they translate into skills that can be applied to civilian careers. You only need to write them on your resume in a way that employers outside the military will understand. The Military to Civilian Occupation Translator is a great resource for helping you with this process.
After first responders in Spring Hill, Florida, were called to the home of 65-year-old Ralph McCrory, they surprised everyone by going above and beyond the call of duty. According to ABC News, McCrory had been mowing his yard in high heat when he began to feel like he was having a heart attack. The Hernando County EMTs and fire crews responded to his wife's emergency call.
The EMT crew discovered that the man had a heart condition and it would take him four days to mow his yard. Upon hearing this, the firefighters stayed behind while the EMTs took McCrory to the hospital.
"The firefighters told his wife that they'd like to help out and asked where the lawnmower was," Hernando County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Kevin Carroll told ABC News. "They stayed and it took about 30 minutes to cut the grass, which was about two-feet high."
ABC News also reported that a neighbor took a picture of the firefighters' kind act and that photograph has now gone viral. The fire crew told ABC Action News that they never intended to get recognition for their good deed. In their minds, it was all part of serving their community.
In January 2014, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that nearly 50,000 veterans were homeless. While that number has been steadily decreasing since it was released, veteran homelessness is still an issue. On Aug. 24, a group of former servicemembers in Phoenix decided to help other veterans who were experiencing homelessness.
Over a dozen veterans from the area gathered at The MANA House, a transitional housing facility meant to assist homeless veterans with finding employment and permanent housing. These individuals cooked a meal for their homeless counterparts and spent the evening talking with them.
Rachel Gutierrez, one of the veterans in charge of the event, told The Arizona Republic that there could never be enough awareness on the issue of veteran homelessness. Gutierrez and The MANA House work together to host evenings like Monday's at least once a month. Their goal is to help local veterans get back on their feet in life after service and help lower the number of homeless veterans in the area. According to The MANA House website, the facility helps by providing services like free showers and Internet access as well as clothing and transportation to help make the job search easier for veterans.
To date, The MANA House has helped over 600 veterans, 70 percent of whom leave the facility with a permanent job and housing.
Elysburg is a quiet town nestled just east of central Pennsylvania. The community is best known for hosting a Labor Day Weekend celebration called All Home Days that honors the service of local military members. The event features a parade, a car show, sumo wrestling and live performances. However, this year's celebration will feature a patriotic new addition.
Teenagers from the Shamokin's juvenile delinquent program paired up with local veterans to create a display called The Field of Honor. The boys, all low-level offenders, participated in the project as part of their community service commitment. In partnership with the local veterans, they planted 5,000 flags in Ralpho Township Community Park. Each of the flags is meant to represent the nearly 90,000 veterans from the surrounding areas.
The boys' supervisor, Timothy Vincent, told WNEP News that the young men were happy to help out with the project.
"It gives them a new-found respect for not only veterans, but it gives them respect for other adults that they normally are coming down at," Vincent said.
The Fields of Honor will be a featured attraction at the town's All Home Days celebration.
Firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians are often the first on the scenes of disasters. Their bravery and service may lead them to witness disturbing sights or deal with emotionally challenging situations. These experiences may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. This mental condition can make it difficult for first responders to do their jobs and participate fully in everyday activities. For any first responder who may be experiencing the symptoms of PTSD, there are many organizations and programs designed to help these community servicemembers recover.
1. 1st Responder Treatment
This program was designed specifically to address PTSD in first responders. Health care professionals teach firefighters, police officers and EMTs how to cope with job-related stress. For religious first responders, the program also offers a Christian-oriented version of the healing process.
2. First Responder Support Network
This resource provides first responders with information about PTSD support groups in their area. First Responder Support Network also hosts retreats for people in these career fields. What is different about this program is that it is almost entirely a peer support network. First responders help one another work through PTSD and issues related to job-induced stress, but there is still the option to speak with mental health professionals and religious leaders.
3. Badge of Life
An unfortunate reality is that many first responders do not know where to seek help for PTSD or may not want to ask for assistance. This can result in first responder suicide. Badge of Life is committed to providing first responders with the counseling and support they need to recover from their job-related trauma. It not only focuses on suicide prevention and mental health support, but it was created to improve the quality of life for first responders.
4. The Station House Retreat
Located in Boynton Beach, Florida, the Station House Retreat is a PTSD recovery program designed by first responders for other first responders. The relaxing environment is meant to encourage firefighters, police officers and EMTs to share their experiences with job-related trauma and help one another heal.
5. Lifescape Solutions
Not only does this treatment facility offer counseling and support for PTSD, but it also provides treatment for PTSD-related drug abuse in first responders. Lifescape Solutions is designed to feel like a home environment to encourage relaxation and sharing. Here, first responders can engage in small group or individual therapy sessions as well as a number of alternative treatments.
6. Safe Call Now
Unlike like the previous programs, Safe Call Now is not a program. It is a 24-hour hotline that was created for first responders. Firefighters, EMTs and police officers who are experiencing trouble due to job-related trauma can call this number at any time for crisis-referral. First responders who call will be directed to a counseling or suicide prevention service, depending on the situation.
Even though first responders are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder than those in most other careers, there are a number of resources available to help them cope and overcome the mental disorder.