When veteran Rodger Howell returned from Vietnam after serving in the Army during the war, he became a police chief in Erin, Tennessee. Howell spent many years working to provide for his family. However, during those years, Howell was dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder from the things he experienced during his service. Not only did he experience mental difficulties, but his exposure to Agent Orange left him with many health problems. According to The Meadville Tribune, doctors gave him five weeks to live.
Nearly three years later, Howell is alive and well. He has found renewed faith in humanity and in himself, all because of a trip he decided to take. Not long after his diagnosis, Howell purchased a covered wagon and two horses. Since then, he has been traveling across the country in his old-fashioned vehicle.
Howell has been to Michigan, North Carolina and Florida with plans to visit Ohio and Niagara Falls.
"What you dream about, you have to do," Howell told the Salisbury Post.
His trip has inspired other veterans and non-servicemembers along the way to realize that life is what you make it.
7-Eleven is a corporation known for its support of veterans. In January, the company expanded its patriotism by launching the first ever corporation giveaway. The company invited veterans to apply to a contest called Operation: Take Command. The winner of the contest would be given his or her own franchise of 7-Eleven to manage without having to pay the franchise fee, which adds up to nearly $190,000. Over 1,200 veterans applied and went through an interview, leadership tests, Facebook video submissions and credit checks. Of those 1,200, the corporation narrowed it down to three finalists.
Out of the three highly qualified finalists, Navy veteran Mark Anthony Page of Gransbury, Texas, was declared the winner. Gransbury was awarded with the management of a 7-Eleven store in Burelson, Texas.
"Mark Anthony represents what we look for in a franchisee," Greg Franks, vice president of 7-Eleven Franchise Systems, told Military.com. "He's smart, hard-working and a servant leader. Mark Anthony also is one of many highly qualified, retired military veterans that are joining the 7-Eleven Franchisee ranks this year."
The 2015 Operation: Take Command contest was the first of its kind, and the corporation has plans to hold more in the future.
Upper Arlington, Ohio, native Pete Cline never served in the military, but he has served at the racetrack his whole life. Cline was involved with motorcycle racing for over 10 years before he started a nonprofit called VETMotorsports. The organization's goal is to empower veterans who were disabled in combat by giving them the opportunity to be involved in professional motorsports. Through VETMotorsports, former servicemembers have the opportunity to get behind the wheel in amateur car races or work in the pit crew at a professional race.
The Columbus Dispatch reported that Cline got the idea for his nonprofit while watching an episode of "Top Gear" that involved veterans. From then on, he wanted to include the former servicemembers in the high-adrenaline world of racing to help them feel useful and included again.
"[The experience] gives you a sense of purpose," Josh Henderson, an Army veteran from the area, told The Columbus Dispatch. "It gives you that team environment. And it's a lot more controlled than being in a combat zone."
To date, VETMotorsports has given over 100 veterans the chance to participate in races and events around the country. Cline also won $5,000 for the organization when he was given 2014's Direct Energy Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award for Columbus because of his efforts.
Many veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder during life after service. While there are a number of treatments available, many of them are relatively new and sometimes ineffective. However, a neuropsychologist in North Carolina may have found the newest, most effective treatment yet. George Lindenfeld, based out of Asheville, is experimenting with treatments involving a Bio-Acoustical Utilization Device.
According to the product's website, the BAUD utilizes different frequencies to distract the brain from stress. Each frequency is meant to activate a binaural beat in your brain, which may alter your brain waves and eliminate PTSD.
"A triggering event has an effect on how memory is stored and restored, over and over and over again," Lindenfeld told Wavy.com. "But if we can disrupt the reconsolidation of that memory, then we can wipe out the emotional attachment to it."
Wavy.com describes the device as being roughly the size of a palm pilot with noise-cancelling headphones and four frequency settings. The BAUD currently retails for over $450, but Lindenfeld hopes that after more testings and proof of success the price will become more market friendly. Lindenfeld has seen improvement in most of his trials with veterans and hopes the BAUD will continue to help former servicemembers.
When he left the Army, John Emswiler searched for a way to continue giving back to the community. After becoming the police chief of Denison, Iowa, he met Ron Hernandez, the founder of Moving Veterans Forward. The nonprofit program works closely with the Omaha Veterans Affairs office, and Emswiler jumped at the opportunity to assist fellow veterans. While the VA helps find housing for veterans in the Nebraska/Iowa area, Emswiler and Moving Veterans Forward work together to help move the vets in and provide furnishings for their new homes.
According to the organization's website, Moving Veterans Forward relies entirely on supporter donations to complete its mission. Any household items donated go directly to veterans in need. Emswiler told KTIV 4 News that the most difficult items to acquire were dressers. Any money the group receives is applied to the cost of storage units used to hold donated items until they can be given to veterans and the transportation costs accumulated during the move-in processes.
To date, Emswiler and Moving Veterans Forward have assisted over 500 veterans with moving into and furnishing their new homes. One of these veterans was a former records clerk who Emswiler served with in Iraq.
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.
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.
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.