Homes, Resumes, College Tips, Mobility Issues

Help for Homeless Veterans: The RAO bulletin reports that “the VA is joining the 100,000 Homes campaign to help find permanent housing for 10,000 vulnerable and chronically homeless veterans this year. The 100,000 Homes campaign is a national movement of over 100 communities working together to find permanent homes for 100,000 vulnerable and chronically homeless individuals and families by July 2014. The program is a coordinated effort by HUD, VA, and local housing agencies to provide permanent housing with case management and other support services for homeless veterans.”  See more or follow/join the movement at: http://100khomes.org/blog

From the Student Veterans of America, we learned about Google’s resources for veterans and their recent resume workshops – check it out at: http://www.googleforveterans.com/
You may have seen the big red “Easy Button” on commercials for an office supply store?  Well, Google has the equivalent for your resume at: http://vetsresumebuilder.appspot.com/  If you need to kick-start your resume, this makes it easy!

The Military.com Education Insider newsletter is the source of a lot of good tips for prospective student-veterans.  This week’s edition highlights ‘Ten Questions to Ask before Enrolling Online’ and offers help sorting through college decisions, accreditation questions, and how to get out of debt.  You can sign up for this free newsletter at: http://www.military.com/LeadForms/NewsLetterSignup

Mobility issues:  Student-veterans with mobility disabilities may be interested in this student’s documentation of his attempts to study abroad in Europe in his wheelchair at: http://wheelchairdiaries.com/ 
On a more positive note, see this information at the VA about Paralympic Veteran Athlete Training Allowances at: http://www.va.gov/adaptivesports/ and you can access a video release from the VA about adaptive sports at: http://youtu.be/0YC9agzVNC0 and one vet’s story at: http://youtu.be/EU_WaaXMtH0

Resource Goldmine

You’ve probably heard the expression about not seeing the forest because the trees were in the way?  Sometimes local resources go unnoticed the same way!  If you are looking for a job, or to start your own business, there is lots of free help.  Check out your local newspapers, your DES office, and your city offices…here’s some samples from the Verde Valley area:
Our Cottonwood Business Assistance Center has free workshops (call 634-0260 x216 to RSVP) every month.  June 19th from 11:30-1:30 is Techniques for Home-Based Businesses, and June 20th from 11:30-1:30 is Introduction to Quickbooks (accounting software).  The BAC also has space and other help available at 821 North Main in Cottonwood.
Our local DES office on Cherry Street has free weekly workshops:
1st Thursdays from 2:00-3:00  - Job Search Techniques will introduce you to modern job search strategies
2nd Thursdays from 2:00-3:00 - Job Readiness Soft Skills will help you learn what skills you have and need in today's jobs
4th Thursdays from 2:00-3:00 - Interview with Confidence will help you present your best self to employers
Every Friday at 10:00 - Writing Effective Resumes will help you edit your resume to land that interview
The DES office also has computers, fax, and other tools to help your job search be more effective, and is where you can meet James Ramm, Veterans Business Service Representative, or check out online info at: www.azjobconnection.gov  You may also want to review the Veteran hiring preference information at this site: https://www.azjobconnection.gov/ders/ea/wcmrs/mn_veterans_dsp.cfm

Informed voters: If you’d like to know how your elected representatives vote on military-related issues or know what veteran related bills have been introduced and are awaiting committee action, see the lists at: http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/bills/.

Another great resource for information is a Retiree Assistance Office’s ‘round-up’ of military news which you can get e-mailed to you or view online at: http://www.veteransresources.org/rao-bulletin/  From there, we learned about the Reverse Boot Camp planned to help transition from active duty to civilian life beyond TAP.  It will include information about college, interviewing and job hunting, and understanding veterans benefits.  Post-service career success is also the goal of this new VA department “VA for Vets” which includes coaching in a variety of employment areas: http://vaforvets.va.gov
Lastly, June is a busy month in military history, according to the RAO bulletin, with highlights from Bunker Hill to Afghanistan including: June 22, 1944, when President Roosevelt signed what would become known as the GI Bill.

Condolences from the VUB/YC family to the friends and family of a fallen Northern Arizona hero: Sergeant First Class (SFC) Barett W. McNabb of Chino Valley, Arizona, who died on June 12, 2012 in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Free Resources and Internet Freedom

Need help finding the right school?  Military.com provides the following four tips:
• Find a mentor to guide you,
• Find a school that has a well-respected program in your field of study,
• Find a school near where you live/plan to live, and
• Do research/Ask tough questions regarding graduation rates and post-graduation employment of alumni.
See the full article at: http://www.military.com/education/finding-a-school/4-tips-to-know-before-enrolling-in-college.html?ESRC=edu_lmn.nl

If you plan to take the ACT or SAT college entrance exams, eKnowledge and Military.com have partnered with NFL and MLB charitable contributions to provide free test preparation materials, valued at $200, to active duty/veterans/military dependents.  More information is available at: http://www.eknowledge.com/affiliate_welcome.asp?coupon=FBEC67159

Are you looking for work, but aren’t sure how to categorize your military experience in civilian terms?  Monster.com, the leading free employment network, and Military.com have partnered on the Military Skills Translator at: http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/skills-translator/  At this site, you enter your military branch and jobs, specialized schools/training and subspecialties, and transferable job skills in a variety of jobs will show appear.  You can then use that terminology for your resume and cover letter, as well as finding target jobs that may match your skills.

Do you like having access to the Internet and the variety of viewpoints expressed freely?  Many countries have effectively shut down the Internet voices of dissidents during internal strife; check out the following article on CNN for the latest movements to regulate global access at: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/05/30/united-nations-internet-regulation/

Veteran-Owned Business Directory, AT&T, Wellness, Stories

Are you a veteran business owner, or would you like to support veteran-owned businesses?  Here’s a national directory (free to businesses and consumers) at: http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/ and it is searchable by type of business and state.

This week’s featured employer from military.com is AT&T and here is their veteran-employee weblink: http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employer/att/?ESRC=mr.nl

Doctor Oz’s website has some valuable information and videos on a variety of health and wellness topics.  Here’s an article about practices which help wellness and balance learned from the Tibetan monks: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tibetan-health-secrets, and a video explaining the Tibetan Five Rites: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tibetan-rites-practice

The Library of Congress is compiling audio and video stories from veterans from all service eras at: http://www.loc.gov/vets/sights.html - you can view or contribute to these inspirational and historical records.  Students and community members are also involved with this effort to preserve these personal and national treasures.  History.com also has resources to support veterans, and collect stories and photos at: http://www.history.com/veterans

VUB, Happiest Companies, Free Audio Books, Leadership

What is VUB?  It’s help for veterans to get into college; it’s pre-college math, writing, or computer modules; it’s help applying for financial aid or college admissions; and it’s veterans making connections with each other and having guides to make the college mission easier to navigate.  Here’s an article about Veterans Upward Bound from military.com: http://www.military.com/education/timesaving-programs/veterans-upward-bound-vub.html?comp=1198882856589&rank=3

The Northern Arizona Veterans Upward Bound program begins this week, with some open-entry courses, in-person, and online options.  Call 928-717-7686 or visit us on the web at: www.yc.edu/vub for more information about our free pre-college courses.

Top 10 Happiest Companies for Veterans in 2012 include firms in technology and telecommunications, banking, and the Red Cross, according to: http://www.careerbliss.com/10-best-companies-for-us-veterans-2012/ 

Here’s a source for free audio books, for anyone with or without a print disability, at http://www.librophile.com/  - it has e-books too, but there are also free audio books (3000) that might help out someone who doesn’t have $ for a subscription or a Kindle/e-reader, or prefers the audio for any reason.

Are you interested in improving your leadership skills or “Emotional Intelligence”?  Here’s a short YouTube that Dr. Daniel Goleman, author of many leadership books, explains more of his ideas about EI at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ScJX404pnY&feature=relmfu