Alliant Healthcare Products, a company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a maker of medical supplies. According to Mlive.com Alliant sells its medical devices "primarily to Veterans Administration hospitals and Department of Defense military treatment facilities." The company is owned by veterans, and close to 25 percent of the employees are veterans.
The veteran-owned business will soon begin its five-year contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The pair are calling the deal the Patriot Promise.
"The key focus of the Patriot Promise is to make sure our war fighters get the best treatment possible whether it's with state-of-the-art diagnostic tools or the most advanced mental care for Post Traumatic Stress," Bob Taylor, Alliant's founder and chief executive officer, told Mlive.com
The DVA gave the company $10.9 million to complete a large order of high-tech endoscopes used in surgical procedures for veterans. These devices will be distributed to veterans hospitals across the Midwestern region of the U.S. The DVA has requested that the medical device maker have the first order complete by Oct. 1, and there are plans to extend the contract if both parties are satisfied with the end result.
According to The Washington Times, this is the biggest contract Alliant has won in its 13 years of business.
First responders may witness many difficult things in their daily lives. These things can sometimes lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. One of the most important ways to combat PTSD is communication. First responders who are dealing with PTSD may not want to seem like a burden on their colleagues, so they may try to bury their feelings and close themselves off. To prevent your fellow first responders from suffering in silence, create an atmosphere of open communication in your workplace. AFBA has listed five ways you can accomplish this below:
1. Announce an open-door policy
Call a meeting in your station house or department to let your colleagues know that you are always available to talk if they need to. You could also pair your co-workers up with a communication partner so that everyone knows there is someone who will look out for them. You might also consider scheduling weekly one-on-one meetings with your co-workers to check in with them and encourage open communication.
2. Establish a respectful environment
Joking and tom-foolery are an inevitable part of working with first responders. This is a healthy way of coping with the stresses of the jobs. However, make sure your co-workers understand the difference between jokes and bullying. Hosting a few sessions on workplace respect is always a good idea if you have the time.
3. Create a "safe zone"
Many first responders do not discuss their emotional stress for fear of being judged by their peers. If you create a space where your colleagues can approach you with their problems in complete confidentiality and without fear of judgment, they may be more likely to reach out in times of need. A safe zone will also discourage other first responders from bottling things up.
4. Respond instead of reacting
An important step in establishing a good line of communication is to respond instead of reacting. When someone comes to you with a problem or to let off some emotional steam, it is best to listen in silence. Keep emotion and reaction off your face if possible. When the employee is finished, choose your response carefully but keep it objective.
5. Be knowledgeable
Your fellow first responders are willing to trust you with their lives in the field. They should be able to do the same when it comes to emotional support. By remaining knowledgeable on the latest PTSD treatment information and keeping up-to-date on the resources available for first responders mental health support, you may be able to pass the information along to a colleague who really needs it.
PTSD and other work related stresses are not uncommon in first responders. Firefighters, police officers and emergency medical service workers have difficult jobs and may experience challenging incidents. Creating a workplace where they feel comfortable discussing these troubles could help alleviate some of the stress and isolation fellow first responders may be going through. By following AFBA's advice above, you may make your station house or department a place of open communication.
When veterans leave the military for life after service, many may experience a sense of confusion. They may be unsure what to do with themselves in civilian life, and many may still have the urge to serve their communities. New York governor Andrew Cuomo may have found a solution for these former servicemembers.
According to Fox News Latino, on Sept. 23, the governor announced a plan to launch a program where veterans help immigrants learn English in preparation for their citizenship exams.
"This initiative will provide a valuable opportunity for veterans to help immigrants, while also honing their own skills as they re-integrate into society," Steven Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, told Fox News Latino.
Cuomo plans to team up with New York's Division of Veterans Affairs to recruit about 100 veterans to participate in the teaching program. The governor hopes the program will increase the success of immigrants in the civic portion of their citizenship tests while giving veterans a chance to interact with members of their community.
Veterans will help the immigrants through language drills, conversation practices and mock exams. Cuomo plans to launch the initiative as soon as he has enough veteran volunteers.
First responders have a reputation for giving back to their communities in more ways than simply keeping it safe. One group in North Rockland, New York, decided to have a little fun with their charity work. On Sept. 30, 17 first responders in the area will compete in the "Mr. Legs" competition.
Lohund.com reported that the firefighters, police officers and emergency medical service workers will compete in competitions like hairiest, most hairless, muscular, tattooed, shortest and longest. The source also stated that there would even be a category called Legs on Fire where the participants dance to the song "Hot Hot Hot."
The Rotary Club of North Rockland is charging $20 for admission and appetizers to enjoy while watching the show. There will also be raffles for prizes.
All the money from the fundraiser brings in an estimated $5,000 to $6,000 for local first responders crews every year. Sonia Crannage, the chairwoman of the event, told the news source that the winners of each category have a chance to bring some of those earning back to their departments.
The competition will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hudson Water Club.
Every year the city of New Carlisle, Ohio, hosts the Heritage of Flight Festival. This year's festival will feature a new ceremony. The first responders in the New Carlisle community organized an event called the Blessing of the Badges.
According to New Carlisle News, firefighter Jerry Meddock, a big proponent of the event, got the idea for the Blessing of the Badges when he saw a similar event on a family vacation in Michigan. He doubles as his department's chaplain, and he has invited first responders to come and get their badges blessed on Oct. 4 during the town's festival.
"We never know when we start a shift, whether it's fire or EMS or police work, if we're going to be able to come home that night," Meddock told the news source.
Meddock's blessing will ask for good luck and safety for all firefighters, police officers and emergency medical service workers in attendance. He and the other organizers told New Carlisle News that all first responders, not just locals, were welcome to participate.
The Blessing of the Badges will take place at New Carlisle's Main Street Stage from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
According to VeteransInc.org, 1 in 10 veterans will be disabled in combat. Some of these former servicemembers must adjust to life with a prosthetic limb. Fortunately, advancing technologies have improved the quality of these devices.
One such technology is the 3-D printer. The James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida, recently acquired one of these printers and has been using it to aid in veteran rehabilitation. Not only is the 3-D printer capable of making a more efficient and reliable prosthetic, it can also make items that make life for these disabled servicemembers a little more enjoyable.
One of the hospitals patients, Quan Taylor, lost the use of his legs in an accident while serving in the Navy. According to Bay News 9, the hospital's 3-D printer helped him with more than just physical recovery. It helped him reach a healthier mental state.
"[The printer] makes you want to create things," Taylor told Bay News 9. "It makes you want to use your mind. Often times being injured you shut down, and you don't want to use your mind. You want to ball up and curl up. This makes you want to explore different opportunities."
Taylor has used the 3-D printer to make a cell phone holder for his wheelchair and has plans to attempt an adaptive game controller for fellow veterans who have lost the use of their hands.
The University of Illinois recently opened what its campus newspaper is calling a "one-stop shop" for veterans resources. The campus is home to over 350 former servicemembers, and faculty wanted to offer more support for the veteran students, especially those who are disabled. The university opened the Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education and is having the first open house on Sept. 24.
"Our goal is to help student veterans with a disability to stay enrolled, perform academically well and to graduate and go into meaningful work," Nicholas Osborne, interim director for the center, told The Daily Illini.
To do this, the university opened the Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education and is having the first open house on Sept. 24. Campus veterans were invited to visit the center and explore the resources. One of those resources was a two-hour credit program that helps former servicemembers with the transition into civilian life.
Many veterans at the University of Illinois expressed their excitement at having additional resources to guide them. Garrett Anderson, a student and former servicemember, told The Daily Illini that entering life after service was overwhelming and he was appreciative of the university's added assistance in making his higher education easier.
Firefighters in Portage, Indiana, were used to keeping their hair cut short and clean, but when they saw an opportunity to help a local family they decided to forgo the barber for a while. When firefighter Tom Colvin found out that Eli Alexander, a local 3-year-old had been diagnosed with Leukemia, he and seven of his colleagues began growing out their hair as part of a fundraiser. The firefighters were quickly joined by a city street manager and a fire department chaplain.
The group initially began growing their hair in March 2015 with plans to donate any funds they collected to the St. Baldrick's Foundation. However, they were told about Alexander and shifted their efforts to help the child and his family. Alexander has gone through multiple surgeries and chemotherapy.
Many of the participating firefighters told NWI.com that they had family members affected by cancer, so they were happy to be able to help the Alexander family. The 3-year-old is expected to receive news on his recovery next month, but the firefighters have extended their fundraising efforts through March 2016.
Alexander's mother told the news source she was extremely grateful fro what Colvin and the other men have done for her son.
The USA Freedom Kids, a group of girls who perform patriotic song and dance routines, recently took their act to the local police station in Marco Island, Florida. Debbie Popick, one of the founders of the girls group, never expected her squad to become as popular as they are now.
According to the Marco Island Sun Times, the USA Freedom Kids recently released their first single, "National Anthem Part 2," on iTunes. Popick was inspired to create a music video for the popular song and wanted to involve local first responders. Popick called the Marco Island Police Department to see if the officers would be interested in participating in the video. The department's chief agreed and told Popick to bring her girls by the station.
The news source also reported that Popick and The USA Freedom Kids were warmly greeted by many local first responders. The girls then taught the police officers and firefighter the USA Freedom Wave, which is the signature dance move that would be featured in the music video. Popick's husband, Jeff, told the Marco Island Sun Times that the first responders really got into the production, and it left a lasting positive impression on the girls.
The community of Bastrop, Louisiana, recently began fundraising for repairs on the Fort Hero Veterans Barracks. This building provides safe and comfortable living quarters for former servicemembers and their families as they work to get back on their feet. The 26,500-square-foot facility, which was funded by the Northeast Louisiana Veterans Association, was built in 2013, but officials say it could use some updates. The News Star reported that AT&T made a $5,000 donation to help the community with the repairs.
"Our nation's military men and women make sacrifices to protect our country and our freedoms," David Aubrey, Louisiana state director of external affairs for AT&T, told The News Star. "I'm proud of my company's support of this program and others."
Those in charge of the Fort Hero Veterans Barracks plan to use the donation to complete such repairs as an interior and exterior paint job and a new sign for the facility. While the telecommunications company's donation helped the organization reach its fundraising goal, they could still use volunteers to help them complete the labor.
To find out more about the Fort Hero Veterans Barracks and its mission, click here.