The Department of Veterans Affairs reported that on average 22 veterans a day commit suicide. This number is one that has been highly publicized and criticized by the public and politicians. While veterans affair workers struggle to pinpoint what causes veterans to take these extreme actions, veterans advocacy groups are making an effort to reduce this number.
Some people believe that veterans feel isolated from regular society when they enter life after service. They suggest that the feelings of loneliness and alienation drive veterans to commit suicide. For this reason, Veterans' Passport to Hope in Colorado encourages people to participate in Buddy Check 22 Day, as reported by ABC 7 News.
"Buddy Check 22 is a day to call a veteran that you know and check in on them to hopefully change the fact that 22 veterans a day commit suicide," organizers of the event posted on their Facebook page.
The site said that a call to a veteran only takes two minutes of your day but could be the conversation that saves a former servicemember's life.
To learn more about how you can participate in Buddy Check 22 Day, click here.
November 11, 1918 is generally recognized at the end of the "war to end all wars." According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, that is the reason Nov. 11 is the day we now celebrate as Veterans Day. Since its beginning as Armistice Day in 1919, Nov. 11 has been a day to recognize veterans for their service and sacrifice. The town of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, has made it a point to make this date with a special commemoration every year.
This year marks the 18th annual William L. Nixon Veterans Tribute. However, this year the celebration will be even more special than the first time it was held in 1997. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs named the tribute as the region's official commemoration, as reported by Lehigh Valley Live.
Of the Phillipsburg event, the department wrote on their website, "From stirring parades and ceremonies to military exhibits and tributes to distinguished veterans, these events serve as models for other communities to follow in planning their own observances."
Not only is this year's event a nationally recognized celebration, it will also feature a special tribute to Korean War veterans, as it is the 65th anniversary of that war beginning. The news source reported that there would be a Blackhawk helicopter landing, a live streaming feed of the celebrations at the Korean War Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii, and musical performances.
Local veterans will be honored, and some are even going to give speeches about their experiences and memories of combat. All former servicemembers from Phillipsburg and the surrounding areas are encouraged to come with their families and enjoy the event.
The 2015 William L. Nixon Veterans Tribute will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8 at Phillipsburg High School.
When veterans enter life after service, they have many options for their future. They can pursue a civilian career, volunteer their time assisting other veterans or even further their own education. Former servicemembers who want to go back to school to earn a degree may be hesitant because of the unfamiliarity of the classroom setting. However, returning to school can be a rewarding experience. There are some points veterans should consider to decide if pursuing a degree is right for them.
Evaluate your readiness
Making the decision to return to school is a big one. Most degree programs will require your full attention and most of your time. If you are not sure if you can commit to the requirements, it is best to hold off for awhile. However, if you find that you are prepared to focus your full effort on school, feel free to start researching your options. Another thing you need to consider is that you are in a good place emotionally. School can be stressful, and if you are already coping with combat-related stress, it may not be the best time to worry about academics. Make sure you are physically and mentally healthy before you tackle a degree.
Explore your financial options
You should also consider your financial readiness. Your GI Bill may cover a portion of your tuition, but some institutions will cost more than those together. Take a look at your finances to make sure that going back to school is a feasible option to avoid unwanted debt. Before you take out loans, research and apply to a variety of veteran-based scholarships. These may help cover the rest of your education costs.
Know your purpose
Nothing is worse than wasting time and money while you try to figure out what degree to pursue. Before you enroll, know what career you are interested in attempting after school. Evaluate which degree programs will be most beneficial to helping you achieve this career end goal and look into universities known for having excellent programs in this area. This step will help you direct your studies and get your on the path to a successful life after service.
Check out campus veterans programs
Many colleges and universities offer programs designed to help veterans in their transition back to school. Some may even have offices especially for student veteran services. Research which campuses have these programs and try to talk to other former servicemembers at your preferred schools to get their opinion on the institution. These facts can help you find a place where you will be comfortable and productive.
Returning to school is a big decision, and for many veterans, it is also a positive step toward reassimilation. By taking steps to carefully consider all your options and your personal goals, you can make the transition from military life to the classroom a little easier. Remember that going back to school may not be for everybody, but by going through the checklist above, you may be more sure of your final decision.
Veterans sacrifice their lives for the safety and freedom of others. This notion led Navy veteran Robert Eberlein to commit his life after service to ensuring that every veteran in his community is given a proper burial ceremony.
"This is a last way for us to honor them for their service to their country and their sacrifice," Eberlein told the South Bend Tribune.
Eberlein served in Vietnam and saw many honorable acts by fellow servicemembers. The way he and his fellow Vietnam veterans were treated when they returned from service was not how any servicemember should be treated. Eberlein wanted to make sure that the men he fought with got a proper military sendoff when they passed, so he joined a burial squad.
The veteran told the South Bend Tribune that burial squads usually include 10 individuals, which can be the chaplain, the team leader and a bugle player. Eberlein serves in his squad as the bugle player, which was a talent he acquired during his service.
Eberlein hopes his commitment to honoring fallen brothers and sisters in arms will inspire younger generations of veterans to do the same when they are his age.
Whenever an area in Bastrop County, Texas, is in need, Mission U-Too shows up to help. The non-profit organization is known for bringing meals and comfort to their community members when disaster strikes. As wildfires tore through the area, many were left without homes and in need of a helping hand. First responders flooded the area to help put out the remaining fires and rescue people from dangerous damaged structures.
Bryan Brueggman and his fellow group members also stepped up to help.
"These are all my neighbors so it's my community, they're my family," Brueggman told KEYE TV.
Brueggman and Mission U-Too spent most of Oct. 20 hand delivering meals to first responders working the scenes of the fire and providing medical services to the injured. He and the group wanted to make sure that the individuals who were helping their community were well taken care of.
Mission U-Too has delivered over 5,000 meals in the last week, according to KEYE TV, and the group does not intend to slow down. Brueggman told the news source that he and his organization would be around and continue to provide meals as long as people needed them.
First responders like police officers, firefighters and emergency medical service workers spend every day making sure their communities are safe and community members are healthy. These individuals do their job without expecting reward or gratitude. They are driven to serve, and so that is what they do. Yet, the community of Charleston, South Carolina, found a way to make sure these first responders knew they were appreciated.
On Oct. 20, the Charleston Public Safety Council, a non-profit organization that supports local safety initiatives, hosted its annual first responder event. The "Salute to Public Safety" luncheon was a time for the first responders in the area to gather at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in downtown Charleston for lunch and an award ceremony, as reported by the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
As the first responders dined together, awards were given to those that had gone above and beyond the call of duty. The news source wrote that Detective Jarl Taylor was named Charleston Police Officer of the Year and Capt. David Basham was honored as Charleston Firefighter of the Year.
Awards for Telecommunicator of the Year and Firefighter EMS of the Year were also given.
On July 9, Johnnie H. Hodges Sr. of Buffalo, New York, was removed from his home when the bank foreclosed due to missing mortgage payments. Thanks to the generosity of community members and a GoFundMe campaign, Hodges will soon be able to return to his home.
After fighting in World War II, Hodges returned to Buffalo and purchased his first home. For 50 years, he and his family lived in the Humboldt Parkway residence, according to The Buffalo News. The Navy veteran began to experience money difficulties after his wife lost her battle to Alzheimer's and passed away.
After the foreclosure, Hodges family helped him set up a GoFundMe page that they hoped would help him get the house back. Their initial goal was $50,000, but people have donated over $107,000. Hodges is expected to move back into his home in November, and he has big plans for when he does.
"The first thing I'm going to do when I get home is walk through the house and make sure everything is in order," Hodges told the news source. "After that, hopefully, I'm gonna get my chair and sit on my front porch."
Hodges' daughter told The Buffalo News that any money left over after they settle with the bank would be donated to help others in need.
When Janette Pritchett first moved to San Luis Obispo, California, she was going through a challenging time in her life. The former servicemember had recently separated from her husband and moved her family to the small Californian community.
"When I first got here it was really hard," Pritchett told The Tribune. "I was trying to do the most I could to not look at this as a bad situation."
The 32-year-old Army veteran went to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, which is sponsored by the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, according to the news source. The group helped to find work for Pritchett and an apartment for her family, but she still had no car to get around.
That was when Oregon-native Rick Elliott stepped in. After his wife passed away in May 2014 of cancer, Elliot has a difficult time deciding who should get the Mustang she always loved. A chance meeting and a few connections later, the Mustang, title and registration included, was given to Pritchett.
Elliot told The Tribune that it is what his wife would have wanted to happen, and that he was happy to help the veteran and her children.
Of the 16 million men and women who served during World War II, only about 900,000 are still alive today, according to The National WWII Museum. Most of the WWII veterans are well into their 90s and leading quiet lives. For many of them, the war is a distant memory. Some of them may have even forgotten large part of their time in combat. However, one young man in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, wanted to make sure these veterans knew their service would never be forgotten.
Divante Nicholson, an employee of the Cape Girardeau Burger King, left his station at the back of the restaurant to come out and shake hands with a veteran in line, according to KCTV 5 News.
"I just want to shake your hand and thank you for your service and for my freedom in our beautiful country," Nicholson told the veteran, as reported by the news source.
Nicholson thank the veteran, 94-year-old Kenneth Haas, because his father served in the military and he planned to enter the Air Force after completing high school. Another customer in the restaurant, Tina Readus, witnessed the event and published a post to Facebook thanking the young man for his standup behavior.
So far, the post has been shared over 1,200 times.
Over 10,000 military medics entered life after service in 2012, according to the Daily Journal, and that number has only risen. Many of those medics have the skills and training to work in first responder jobs. One Act of Congress hopes to make it easier for these veterans to pursue careers as emergency medical technicians.
The Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2015 will expedite the certification process and make it easier for veterans to get jobs as EMTs.
The Bureau of Labor Statistic's Occupational Outlook reported a 23 percent growth rate of emergency medical jobs between 2012 and 2022. That is about 55,000 new jobs available for veterans. The BLS hopes that some of these positions will be filled by veterans and help reduce combat veteran unemployment.
Some major components of the Act include waivers for veterans when it comes to state requirements, giving priority to states in need of first responders and an amendment to the Public Health Service Act which would make a certification fast track for veterans.
The Act was introduced in February and is still under examination and has yet to be voted on.