Military service members sacrifice a great amount to serve their country, but many struggle to find jobs when they return. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 5.4 percent of veterans are currently unemployed. However, veterans have the potential to be some of the most skilled members of the workforce. Their experiences in combat have made them responsible, organized and adaptable. Veterans are natural leaders and often have specialized skills they learned during service.
An organization called 100,000 Jobs is dedicated to spreading the word about veterans' skills. Its primary mission, however, is securing jobs for the 5.4 percent and the other 200,000 service members transitioning to life after service every year. Founded in 2011, 100,000 Jobs began with the goal of finding jobs for 100,000 veterans by 2020. It started out with a partnership of 11 companies. Just four years into its mission, the organization has found employment for 250,000 veterans, and its network has increased to 190 companies. 100,000 Jobs has expanded its ambition and hopes to get another 50,000 veterans secure employment.
To learn more about the companies 100,000 Jobs partners with or how to make your business a part of the coalition, visit the website today.
Art is commonly recognized as a helpful form of therapy. Many veterans are encouraged to take up music or painting to help them through the emotional difficulties of transitioning from combat to life after service. For Tucson resident Engel Indo, music helped him work through his personal combat experiences. However, Indo decided to use his art to help other veterans. He recently published a book titled "Thoughts and Poetry for the Soul and out of Boredom." This work includes poetry in both English and Spanish that deals with hope, love and hate.
Indo will host a release party for his book on Tuesday, July 28. All proceeds from the party will go to a foundation called Pay It Forward Tucson, which helps local low-income families and veterans. Growing up in one of the poorest parts of Peru made the artist sensitive to the struggle of those around him. He told Tucson Weekly that he is always looking for ways to help fellow veterans and those in need. Before Indo turned to veterans' advocacy, he established From La Perla to the Stars, a program that teaches music to poverty-stricken children from his old Peruvian neighborhood.
Indo's release party will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Galeria Cuadro Arte Latino Internacional in Tucson. His book is available for purchase on Amazon.
After deployment, most service members are eager to return home to their families and friends. However, for some, it can be a daunting prospect. Some veterans are intimidated by life after service because it is unfamiliar. There are steps newly returned service members can follow to make the transition from combat to civilian life go smoothly.
1. Prepare for change
Civilian life is going to be monumentally different than life in combat. Free time will become more abundant and things will be much less structured than you are used to. You should also realize that your friends and family may not recognize what kind of struggles you are dealing with. Mentally prepare yourself for these changes before you arrive home so you do not get frustrated with your new lifestyle.
2. Establish your comfort zone
Patience is key for any former service member attempting to transition to civilian life. You should figure out what you are comfortable discussing with friends and family and what you would rather keep to yourself. Do not feel obligated to share stories from combat if you do not want to or engage in social situations where you are uncomfortable. Find a group of friends who make you feel at home and set clear boundaries about what you are comfortable discussing with your family. Communication will help you avoid awkward scenarios.
3. Find a hobby
As previously stated, you will likely have amounts of free time you are unaccustomed to. While this may seem like a good thing, it can quickly lead to boredom and anxiety. Experiment with different hobbies until you find something relaxing and enjoyable. Group hobbies are an advantageous way to reach out to others in a safe, unassuming environment. Additionally, choosing an athletic hobby will also help you keep the fitness level you maintained during combat.
4. Surround yourself with support
There are thousands of veterans' support groups and organizations geared toward helping service members transition to civilian life. A simple Internet search will bring up a variety of different ones for you to choose from. Not only that, but your family and friends are most likely eager to help you feel at home again. Do not be ashamed to accept their help and support. To see a list of veterans' support groups, click here.
5. Utilize your resources
The government, the military and many nonprofit organizations offer transitional programs. Many of these can help you with financial planning, career advice and mental health support. Use these resources to make the most of your life after service. They were put in place to assist you, and there is no shame in taking advantage of the help that is offered. Click here to look at the Transition Assistance Program, which was designed to help veterans with financial, career and health issues they may experience during their transition.
Your return to civilian life should not be cause for stress. By adequately preparing yourself and using the help provided, you can make the transition without much difficulty.
It has long been a tradition of war for soldiers to take home souvenirs from the battlefield. These items symbolize their personal strength and survival. A popular souvenir was the enemy flag, but these were often hard to capture. World War II was the first opportunity many American soldiers had to bring home a flag from the opposing army. As part of tradition, every Japanese soldier carried a hinomaru yosegaki, a silk Japanese flag signed by family and friends that was meant to bring the soldier good luck. Some soldiers even carried multiple flags with them. This meant that there were more flags available for capture during the war than in previous wars.
When the war ended about 70 years ago, thousands of hinomaru yosegaki made their way back to the U.S. in the hands of American soldiers. Now, a nonprofit organization called OBON 2015 is working to return those flags to their rightful owners and their families. For the past several years, the organization has been collecting hinomaru yosegaki from veterans around the U.S. This week, seven WWII veterans will fly to Japan to deliver those flags back to the country. In a gesture of peace and goodwill, the veterans will present the hinomaru yosegaki to Japanese dignitaries.
Compared to service members of World War II and the Vietnam War, veterans of the Korean War have received less attention. The conflict, which lasted from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, is frequently referred to as the "Forgotten War" because it never struck the American public the way that other wars did. Perhaps this is because the Korean War was never officially declared a war and ended in a stalemate. In spite of that, 38,000 of the 2 million soldiers who served in Korea lost their lives during the three years of fighting.
Now, over 60 years after the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement, Korean veterans in Grand Rapids, Michigan, are getting the recognition they deserve. On July 28, the community gathered to honor 69 veterans of the Korean war. During the event, the veterans shared their war experiences and expressed their gratitude for the community's appreciation for their service.
William Wright, one of the veterans, told WZZM News, "It makes a man feel proud of himself. It makes you feel good to know that some people respect you."
The deputy consul general of the Korean Consulate General in Chicago, Jae-woong Lee, was also invited to the ceremony. Lee presented 22 of the veterans with the Korean Ambassador for Peace medal.
The men and women who serve in the nation's military face many challenges when coming home. Their lives after service should be full of enjoyment and rediscovery, but sometimes they are plagued with anxiety. Physical injury and emotional damage like post-traumatic stress disorder are fairly common struggles for veterans. However, financial uncertainties and housing instability are also issues for returning service members.
We Honor Veterans reported that about 58,000 veterans are homeless on any given night, and there are currently more homeless Vietnam-era veterans than there were American deaths in the actual war. But are these numbers decreasing under the Obama administration? On July 21, during his interview with Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show", the president said his administration decreased veteran homelessness by a third. Based on the the Department of Housing and Urban Development "point in time" counts, the number of homeless veterans was, in fact, down by 33 percent from the last year. Obama and his team also increased the budget for veteran homelessness from $400 million to $1.5 billion since 2009.
Some experts argue that the numbers surrounding veteran homelessness are difficult to track, but according to the Tampa Bay Times, most agree that the figures Obama shared are accurate.
On July 26, 140 participants gathered to compete in Burr Ridge's 2nd Annual Run for Veterans 5K and Push-Up Challenge. The event was started in 2013 by Paulina Ozols, who had worked with local veterans and heard about the struggles they face when returning to civilian life after service. Ozols partnered with Burr Ridge Mayor Mickey Straub to organize the race and push-up contest. They designed it so that all entry fees, donations, and sponsorships go directly to the veterans' organization they chose that year. The 2014 event raised $14,000, and Mayor Straub hopes that number continues to increase.
At the event's opening, the mayor called to mind the Gettysburg address, "Remember some of the core principles on God, liberty, community, patriotism, and remember that, 'We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.' The more we can do to really honor our vets the more we will be supporting that mission."
This year's organization was the Lone Survivor Foundation, which is dedicated to helping veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder through therapy and support. Ozol and Straub hope that the event continues to grow and encourage the support of the nation's veterans.
Veterans of World War II from across the country are invited to a celebration marking the 70th anniversary of the war's end. The event will be held in the Alabama National Cemetery and the American Village in Montevallo, Alabama, on Aug. 8. The gathering is a chance for veterans who participated in Honor Flight Birmingham, a program that flew them to Washington D.C. to visit the WWII memorials, to reunite and share their stories. The other program in the event is called "Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive". This portion of the celebration will honor the Greatest Generation and feature a fly-over by WWII aircraft. There will also be a special re-enactment of the flag raising at Iwo Jima.
The program's co-founder Pam Nichols told Alabama.com that they would not be sending out invitations to the event, but she hopes that the community would spread the word to encourage involvement. She stated that she especially wants caretakers to make sure that WWII veterans have the opportunity to attend this event. Last year's event had 32 WWII veterans in attendance, but Nichols would like to honor even more this year.
For more information on the event, click here.
It is not every day that one sees scantily clad military members hiking together, but residents of San Diego, California, were treated to just such a sight on July 25. More than 50 active duty service members and veterans banded together for a 13-mile walk from the Mission Beach jetty to La Jolla cove. The hikers, all shirtless and in short shorts, were part of an event called "22, with 22, for the 22" during which they walked 22 kilometers carrying 22 kilograms to raise awareness for the 22 veterans that commit suicide each day.
The founders of the beach hike are a veterans' group called Irreverent Warriors. Their mission is to help veterans out of their depression and anxiety through humor. They hope their hike does more than raise awareness to veteran suicide. They want struggling veterans to recognize that there are support groups available if only they reach out.
Retired Marine and Irreverent Warriors co-founder Donny O'Malley told Take Action, "If I can get guys together, and if I can inspire little Irreverent Warriors groups to start popping up across the country, then [veterans] who are alone and lonely and in a dark place will feel supported and loved."
O'Malley's Irreverent Warriors inspired a second hike on Aug. 1, in Houston, Texas.
Three years ago, Delaware Valley University and Rodale Institute partnered to create a program for veterans who were looking to pursue farming as a career in their lives after service. The Veteran Organic Farming Program teaches these former service members the knowledge and skills they need to be successful at organic farming and agriculture. Most veterans are used to hard work and long hours outside, so they are already have the physical preparedness to be farmers. As for mental readiness, a director of the program told Army Times that the unpredictability of nature is similar to the erratic environment of the battlefield. Farmers, like soldiers, must be prepared to change action at anytime.
The 36-hour certificate program requires participants to attend to classroom-based courses like animal science, plant and animal disease, entomology and agricultural marketing. In addition to these courses, the veterans are expected to log hours in stables, fields and greenhouses for hands-on training.
The Veteran Organic Farming Program was created to help combat veteran unemployment rates. The White House reported that in 2013, there were over 783,000 unemployed veterans in the U.S. The VOFP hopes to give veterans a chance to build their own careers. And thanks to GI Bill benefits, the program costs nothing for veterans.