The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, an organization of motorcycle-riding veterans, is known for giving back to other veterans in its community. Its mission is to provide whatever kind of support is needed to local veterans.
David Lukowski, the chapter president of the CVMA, told ABC 10 News, "We operate as friends, heartfelt friends. Everyone here will give you the shirt off of their back."
Recently, though, the group went above and beyond the call of duty when they decided to raise money for the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette, Michigan. The home provides shelter and care for aging veterans, but the activities fund was running low.
A squad of 34 CVMA riders from all over the region drove to the home when the fundraiser was finished to spend the day socializing with the veterans who live there and to present them with the check for $5,000 to support resident activities. Many of the CVMA members who participated said the best part of the experience was spending time with their elder veterans. They said the elderly vets had many stories and experiences to share, and not many of them receive visitors, so the shared moments are doubly beneficial.
When Category 5 Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf in August 2005, many people were in need of assistance. First responders in the area bravely answered the calls for help, sometimes risking their own lives in the treacherous weather and unstable environments. Ten years later, a group of dental students from Louisiana State University got together to show their appreciation for their service.
On Aug. 9, 150 LSU dental students woke up early to begin cooking a large batch of jambalaya, a Louisiana favorite. Not only did the students intend to feed local first responders, but they also made thank you cards and baggies of dental supplies. As training health care providers, they understand the call to serve the community and wanted to make sure the first responders who risked their lives during the hurricane understood their gratitude.
LSU Health Dean Henry Gremillion told WWL News, "We certainly appreciate everything that the first responders and all the service related people in New Orleans have done to facilitate coming back so strong for this last decade. We want to give back to them and say thank you."
The students packed a total of 250 meals for 12 police and fire stations around New Orleans.
Since 2014, the American College of Financial Services, the nation's largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services, has honored an individual with the Soldier-Citizen Award. This award is meant to decorate an honorable person who served in the military, is successful in the financial services industry and demonstrated selflessness in giving back to his or her community. This year's honoree is four-star Gen. Ralph E. "Ed" Eberhart, formerly with the United States Air Force.
After graduating from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Gen. Eberhart spent 36 years as a Commander, U.S. Northern Command and Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. During this time, he logged over 5,000 hours of command flight time. In retirement, Gen. Eberhart continued to serve his country by accepting the position of president and chairman of The Armed Forces Benefit Association in 2009.
Gen. Eberhart is also the chairman of 5-Star Bank and 5-Star Life Insurance Company, and he serves on the board of several organizations, such as TERMA, Jacobs Engineering, Rockwell Collins, Triumph Group, VSE and Segs4Vets. Not only does the general give his time to those companies, but he is currently a trustee for the Falcon Foundation and a director on the board of the USAFA Endowment. At one time, Gen. Eberhart served his alma mater as a member of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association of Graduates Board of Directors.
"General Eberhart followed his illustrious military career with a spectacular career in the financial services industry," said Ted Digges, the executive director of The American College Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs and chair of the selection committee. "We are proud to honor such an individual with this award."
The award ceremony will take place on Aug. 20, 2015, at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Many military servicemembers sustain injuries during combat that leave them disabled in one way or another. These veterans may struggle to accept that their life after service will be much less active than before. Yet, the Veterans Adaptive Sports program is offering these disabled vets an opportunity to continue participating in the sports and activities they love. This organization strives to help rehabilitate former servicemembers with injuries to the spinal cord, visual and hearing impairments, amputations and neurological disorders.
Dave Tuttle, a coach with Veterans Adaptive Sports, told WPTV News, "Our main objective is to get disabled veterans to plug back into recreational activities that they're a little apprehensive to get started in."
Tuttle and other coaches assist the disabled veterans with activities like scuba diving and skiing. Tuttle credits the success of the program to advances in technology. He said that in previous decades, the wounded veterans would be confined to games like checkers and cards. However, technological advances have provided them with the equipment necessary to make it possible for them to participate in these action-heavy activities.
The Veterans Adaptive Sports program is meant to give disabled veterans back the confidence they once had and help them find joy in their new situations.
According to the National Center for PTSD, 23 percent of veterans will experience post-traumatic stress disorder. This mental condition can make it difficult for veterans to readjust to normal lives and find fulfillment in life after service. However, there is a group of volunteers in Oregon City, Oregon, that hopes to help veterans find a new way to cope with PTSD. The group, Team River Runner, takes veterans who have sustained physical injury or are experiencing PTSD on paddling excursions down the Willamette River.
Every year, about 200 veterans benefit from Team River Runner's paddling program.
Roy Decker, a Navy veteran with 10 years of service under his belt, told KATU News that it was nice to know that there were people out there who still cared about helping veterans. Decker said that floating down the river gave him a sense of serenity and helped him get away from the stresses of PTSD. He was on the USS Cole when it was bombed but said that participating in Team River Runner's program helped him rediscover peace of mind.
The program also provides kayaks for veterans with physical disabilities and sometimes teams up with Oregon Disability Sports. Visit their website for more information.
Some elderly people take up knitting. Others prefer fishing. For a group of elderly veterans, sports and physical activity are still the primary source of entertainment. The National Veterans Golden Age Games is a sporting event open to military veterans age 55 or older and who receive health care from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The games are meant to provide a fun way for aging veterans to rehabilitate and improve their quality of life. It is also a way to help the veterans cope with PTSD or physical disabilities they may have sustained in their service.
Henry Lee Preston, a javelin competitor and 64-year-old Vietnam veteran, has participated in the games eight times. Lee told Alabama.com that the games were a way for him to stay fit year-round and to connect with other older veterans from around the country. He also uses the games as a way to connect with his grandchildren, whom he takes with him when he trains in his local park.
Over 800 veterans come together to compete and share reunion stories. These former servicemembers compete in such competitions as racquetball, bowling, table tennis, dominoes and many more. This year's games will be held in Omaha, Nebraska, Aug. 8-12.
Military servicemembers and first responders have some of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Not only that, but they are more likely to experience a traumatic event than people in other careers. As a result, individuals who serve in the military and work as firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians and other first responders have a high probability of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health condition that can greatly affect the quality of an individual's life. AFBA has compiled a list of seven programs designed to help servicemembers, veterans and first responders heal their PTSD.
1. Starlight Military Program
The Stonington Institute launched this program after World War II. The Starlight Military Program specializes in unique treatment for active duty servicemembers and veterans. It offers cognitive therapy and substance abuse programs.
2. Paws for Veterans
One issue many veterans face while dealing with PTSD is the feeling of isolation. Paws for Veterans works to eliminate these feelings by pairing returned servicemembers with a trained dog in need of adoption. The dogs are trained to have a variety of special skills, including therapy and guide dog behaviors.
3. The Station House Retreat
The program was specifically designed by first responders to assist other first responders with their PTSD recovery. Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other first responders can come to The Station House Retreat to participate in therapy sessions, exercise programs, meditation and medication management classes all designed to treat PTSD.
4. Homecoming for Veterans
The EEG Institute developed this program to better understand the effects of PTSD on the brain. Homecoming for Veterans provides free neurofeedback and PTSD treatment for former military servicemembers. Not only is this program providing care for veterans, but it is working to better understand the neurological damage they experience in order to improve treatment.
5. Omega Veterans Trauma and Resilience Program
This program was created by health care professionals to help veterans heal from PTSD and other problems that may arise because of the trauma they experienced. Omega offers a variety of seminars and therapy sessions.
6. Princeton House First Responder Program
This inpatient program is designed to provide first responders with whole-body healing methods. It focuses on mental health therapy. The Princeton House First Responder Program teaches first responders who are experiencing PTSD to rediscover the mind-body-spirit connection through fitness, counseling and medication management.
7. Meghan's Foundation
The program was developed with the purpose of providing alternative healing to veterans dealing with PTSD. Meghan's Foundation offers veterans a chance to heal through yoga and meditation as opposed to doctors and medication. The foundation is designed to teach veterans to self-heal and rely on their inner strengths.
PTSD can be a life-altering condition, and many veterans and first responders will be faced with overcoming the challenges of this disorder. Fortunately, there are a number of programs created specifically for individuals in these careers. These programs offer healing, counseling, support and guidance as those coping with PTSD navigate toward healing. The VA also offers a regional-specific list of PTSD help.
On Aug. 8, country music artist Ricky Lee will host a concert to benefit veterans. The event is part of his Music-4-R-Vets campaign, a program Lee designed to demonstrate the healing power and therapeutic benefits of music for veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. On his website, Lee defined music as "a mind altering noise with the potential to induce joy, happiness, memories, bliss, merriment and mirth."
Not only does the artist understand the ability of music to help veterans, but many of his songs are written specifically with returned servicemembers in mind. Some popular titles include "Welcome Home" and "She's an American Soldier."
The concert will be held outdoors on the oval of the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford, Virginia, and will begin at 1:30 pm. Aside from the concert, which is free for veterans, Lee's famous "Freedom Cart" will make an appearance. The cart is hand-painted and custom built with veterans' uniforms and patches for seat covers. It is meant as a symbol to honor veterans. This performance is one of many that Lee plans to hold in VA centers across the country.
For a complete list of Lee's patriotic concerts, click here.
Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other first responders all have careers where success comes from a team effort. These fields are dependent on the ability of the group to work well together. Luckily, there are a variety of teambuilding activities your station can complete to increase your unit performance.
Mine field
This group activity is perfect for improving group communication. The idea is to set up a starting line and a finish line. Then, place various obstacles around an open space. Take turns blindfolding an individual member of the squad. The other members must successfully guide the blindfolded person to the finish line through the debris using only verbal directions.
All aboard
Challenge your squad to this game and you could see major improvements in inter-group patience and problem solving. The rules are simple. Start with a large defined space, usually a sheet. All members of your team must fit into the space. Once this is successfully completed, make the defined space smaller. Continue shrinking the size of the space until your team can no longer find a way to fit into the space.
Group mandala
This exercise is a great way to explore group dynamics and examine structural hierarchy. Begin by having each participant choose an object that represents himself or herself. The group then forms a circle and throws their objects like dice. When all the objects have settled, each person must tell the group how they feel about the position of their specific object and its relation to the others' items. Go through several rounds in which members can adjust their items until everyone is satisfied with his or her object's position. Discuss why the end result made everyone most comfortable.
Winner/loser
As first responders, there are many tough days on the job. This activity can not only help your squad learn to communicate, but it can also teach them to counsel others. Have your team pair up. One member of each pair will begin by telling the other of a bad experience or tough memory. At the end of the story, the partner who was listening must retell the same story using only the positive takeaways.
Toxic waste
First responders must be able to complete tasks as a team. This activity is excellent for coaching a squad to work together toward a successful result. To play, set up a circle at the center of a room. This will represent the "toxic waste radiation zone." In the middle of the circle, place a container filled with water or bouncy balls to symbolize the "toxic waste." Outside the circle, there should be a larger bucket that will act as the "neutralization container." Have an array of bungee cords and ropes outside the circle as well. The group must figure out how to get the toxic waste into the neutralization container without setting foot in the toxic waste radiation zone. This activity can be timed if you would like.
Being a first responder means working well in a team setting. Communication, problem solving and understanding of group dynamics are crucial to a squad's success. The activities above are specifically designed to help improve these areas.
The American Journal of Medicine reported that 23 percent of veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in their life after service. There are counseling programs and peer support available to help veterans through this challenging condition, but one California man has found an alternative way to help veterans heal. Elias Gallegos owns Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Chula Vista, California. Gallegos uses his business to give veterans an alternative coping option when dealing with PTSD.
"Some people preach from the pulpit, some people heal from the doctor's room, and I heal from the mat," Gallegos told Fox 5 News.
Gallegos and other trainers at his gym offer Brazilian jiu jitsu classes to veterans. The sport gives returned servicemembers a safe place to release their aggression and connect with others going through similar difficulties. Many of the veterans who have gone through Gallegos' program, which is free to veterans, say that it helped them settle back into a normal routine and rediscover interests.
Experts agree that exercise is one of the most beneficial treatments for PTSD and depression, and the Gracie Jiu Jitsu program is in no shortage of physical demand. Most classes last a sweat-packed and heart-racing hour. Visit the gym's website for more information.