If I had known about the National Veterans Foundation before or just after I left active duty how different my life would be…
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Submitted by Kristine on
Thu, 04/25/2013 - 17:06
Submitted by Shad Meshad on
Tue, 04/16/2013 - 12:36
So why is unemployment among vets from Iraq and Afghanistan still higher than in other sectors of the population? And why is the unemployment rate active duty vets face almost double what reservists experience? Well, the gloss of the parade can hide some misconceptions. The press, not to mention the entertainment industry, has done its job educating the public about the effects of PTSD. Who isn't familiar with someone breaking under stress and "going postal?"
Submitted by Shad Meshad on
Thu, 04/04/2013 - 13:36
Southern California, 1971: I had just returned from Vietnam where I served as a psychiatric social worker, and I was finding vets like me living on the street, under bridges, or in temporary communities of hooches in vacant lots or remote beaches and canyons.
My job was to figure out why they weren't taking advantage of VA services. To me, the answer was obvious: clinics were hard to get to whether you were in an urban area or in the wilderness, and the system was not easy to navigate. Any bureaucracy was a symbol of all that had gone wrong with that war.
Submitted by Shad Meshad on
Tue, 03/12/2013 - 14:44
I'm not saying the draft should be reinstated, but I am saying that we need to do something differently. Perhaps if everyone had an equal stake, we wouldn't just change the channel when the news wasn't good. We'd pay more attention to situations as they rose and maybe our leaders would work harder to find alternatives to armed conflict. Maybe in addition to having fewer wars, we'd have a citizenry that was engaged and vested in the country, having served it.
Submitted by Dave the VSO on
Fri, 03/08/2013 - 09:51
What if there were a social media tool (think of Facebook) just for vets like us? You know, some way to keep in touch with the vets you served with, but also some way to find out whether vets like us are close by.
Submitted by Dave the VSO on
Tue, 01/15/2013 - 11:42
It’s a brand new year. What’s new? New things at the VA for one. New semester for Vets using their education benefits for another. Plus a new wrinkle on getting those benefits. States' residency requirements don't always jive with what the Pentagon had in mind for you.
Submitted by Shad Meshad on
Mon, 01/14/2013 - 11:27
Try this on for size: The Department of Veterans Affairs own statistics show that as of December 29, 2012, the VA had 900,677 pending claims. The percentage of those claims over 125 days old (that's over four months, folks) is 68.9 percent. Think back to your school days. Seventy percent was passing, right? Just. So how would you grade the VA's performance?
Submitted by Dave the VSO on
Wed, 12/12/2012 - 14:38
Getting short? You'll want to know about TAP, the VA's Transition Assistance Program. So successful it's been revamped and improved. The new Transition GPS is now a requirement for Vets exiting the military.
Submitted by Dave the VSO on
Thu, 11/29/2012 - 15:45
At ease! Not always the easiest thing for vets to do at this time of year, especially if you're just transitioning back into family and civilian life. Here are some options for you.
Submitted by Dave the VSO on
Sat, 11/10/2012 - 00:00
Stand tall. November 11th is your day. Yours and your buddies’. And a long, long line of those who served before you. It’s their day too. Maybe you have a parent or grandparent who served. Maybe a sister or brother, an uncle or cousin perhaps. They’re all part of a proud tradition.
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