Inspiration & Support

This Labor Day weekend through September 9th, offer your support to the 19 veterans (and 4000 other athletes worldwide) in the live streaming of the 2012 Paralympic games from London at: www.paralympic.org.
You can check the results and read biographies of all the athletes on that site or on: http://www2.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics.aspx
To check out some of the Arizona athletes participating, see: http://uanews.org/story/seven-ua-s-best-are-headed-london-paralympics  
See the story on gold medal winning veteran-athlete Bradley Snyder at: http://www.va.gov/adaptivesports/
or
See the video of veteran-athlete John Olson at: http://youtu.be/ZLD6vugX3RY

Armstrong Tribute, College Decisions, Museums, PTSD

The Video of the Week is an inspirational tribute to Neil Armstrong and his place in history, and in the hearts of all who dream of accomplishing feats that no one believes are possible.  See it at http://youtu.be/pkqxfpc_Ido
The Navy veteran, pilot, astronaut, engineer, teacher, and humble hero, was also a private family man who did not seek fame or fortune.  His family asks that you wink at the moon, on Friday August 31, when all American flags will be flying at half-staff in honor of the first man to walk on the moon.

Military.com has helped make things easier by pooling all of their great hints/tools for veterans considering going back to college in one online location (hint: bookmark this site): Tools for College Decisions

Free Museum Day is September 29!  It is sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and available at museums across the nation: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/ You can search for all the participating museums by state (27 in AZ) or topic, and print your ticket off from the website.  So let’s go learn something at a museum!

Great info on PTSD from our friends at Military.com: “Mobile apps like the PTSD Coach can identify signs of PTSD, manage symptoms, and connect with resources and help instantly. And according to studies, early intervention may prevent long term damage to mental health. For more information, read VA's VAntage Point Blog. For more PTSD information and support resources, visit the Military.com PTSD page.”

Got Your 6, Green Jobs, Military Records

Video of the Week: http://youtu.be/NRJMA1rgB8s  GotYour6.org highlights six areas of concern for veterans and military families: jobs, education, health, housing, family, and leadership.  Not a veteran?  Don’t know someone who is currently serving?  Not sure how you can support those who are, and their families left behind?  Here’s an easy way to find a way to offer support: http://www.gotyour6.org/showyour6/ 

Veterans Green Jobs is an effort to provide meaningful jobs to veterans, so they can continue to provide leadership and service in emerging industries and help others.  See them at: http://veteransgreenjobs.org/

If you are searching for the military records of a family member, or yourself, here is a website with all the right info: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/ This information has become more popular as people try to research their family tree to find out more about their parents or other family members.  Some records are also available through public records, if you are searching for what your great-grandfather did 'way back when.'

Paralympic Veterans, Career Transition, Diabetes

Video Highlight of the Week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9VWge-Q_08 or see www.paralympic.org for more info on live streaming of the 2012 Paralympics, starting August 29.  In 1948, a British doctor treating fighter pilots who were disabled in combat started a shocking experiment to improve the lives of his patients: training for athletic competition, according to usnews.nbcnews.com.  Next week, the Paralympics will begin in London, where 20 U.S. veterans and other disabled athletes will compete in the largest competition of its kind, with 4,000 athletes representing 140 countries.  If you were amazed at the Olympic performances, the Paralympics will inspire you even more.  Support the Paralympics and our veteran athletes – see this article for more details at: U S Veterans in 2012 Paralympics

Blog of the Week: Check out this blog by veterans for veterans, about career transitions and education: http://switchstarter.wordpress.com/

Health fact of the week: Diabetes affects 25.8 million people (8.3% of the U.S. population), but prevention through nutrition, weight loss, and exercise reduced development of diabetes by 71% in older Americans, according to http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/factsheet11.htm  This month, the RAO Bulletin noted that adult cereal sugar contents (like Raisin Bran) are higher than children’s cereals (like Fruit Loops) – this is due to consumer pressure to make children’s cereals healthier and not contribute to childhood obesity.  Not so with adult cereals, so read your labels; for more details see: http://sjcvets.zymichost.com/index.html Why is this related to veterans?  Men, seniors, non-whites, and all people who are over-weight have higher risks of developing diabetes.  Also, Agent Orange has been linked to a higher incidence of diabetes in the population of Vietnam veterans according to: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/diabetes.asp 

Trio of Technology Tips

Are you concerned about whether you have the technology skills to succeed in college?  Check out this video: Technology Skills for Students

Still curious about what it takes to succeed in college?  Free Yavapai College Workshops are open to the public on these topics:
DIGITAL LITERACY - Learn to navigate your computer, save and find files, use basic software, save time, and more.
@ PRESCOTT CAMPUS  day/date/time/building-room
Tuesday, August 21st  11:00 AM- 12:00 PM, 19-206
Tuesday, August 21st  2:00 PM-3:00PM, 19-208
Wednesday, August 22nd 2:00 PM-3:00PM, 19-208
Tuesday, August 28th 11:00 AM- 12:00 PM, 19-206
Tuesday, August 28th 2:00 PM-3:00PM, 19-208
Wednesday, August 29th 2:00 PM-3:00PM, 19-208
@ VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS
Wednesday, August 22nd 1:00PM to 2:00PM, G-103
Thursday, August 23rd 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, G-104
Thursday, August 27th 1:00PM to 2:00PM, G-104

STUDENT ORIENTATION TO ONLINE LEARNING - Learn what it takes to succeed in online classes.
@ PRESCOTT CAMPUS
Tuesday, August 21st, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM, Bld. 19 Room 208
Wednesday, August 22nd, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM, Bld. 19 Room 207
@ VERDE CAMPUS, Building G, Room 123A
Wednesday, August 22nd, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Bld. G Room 103
Thursday, August 23rd 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Bld. G Room 103
@ PRESCOTT VALLEY, Room 40-105
Friday, August 24th, 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Room 40-105

Virtual Job Fair, Job Approach Tips, Computer Skills

Video highlight of the week: Ranger up.com (a veteran-owned business) has created a video about perfecting your approach to finding the right job at: http://youtu.be/Tvp_P4kJEEE

Hot off the press from our friends at Military.com: Vet Virtual Career Fair Aug 21, 2012
“Military.com and Monster are hosting a Veterans Virtual Career Fair on August 21st. It's free to join and you'll be able to communicate and engage with exhibitors and attendees in a collaborative virtual environment. Fast Track Your Military Experience to a Civilian Career. Get more details and register for the event now.
View a full calendar of Military Career Expos.
Visit the Military.com Veteran Career Center to search for jobs and get tips on your career and job search.
Translate your military skills, experience and training to find career opportunities that best align with your capabilities.
For more on AT&T and other organizations hiring veterans, see: http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employer/att/?ESRC=mr.nl ”

If you would like to expand your computer comfort level while you are searching for your perfect job, Northern Arizona VUB has openings in our fall free computer modules!  Contact www.yc.edu/vub or 928-717-7686 for eligibility/enrollment information.

Tech Careers, VUB Registration Opens, Military Family Support

Here’s a great resource for military family members: http://armymomstrong.com/ it has information on care packages, support/social networks, and where we discovered www.Hope4Heroes.org and another inspiring video at: http://youtu.be/6I4qaAPmtn8  Hope4Heroes also has a Virtual Job Fair and a Thank You card you can sign.

Video Highlight of the week is about tech careers for veterans at: http://youtu.be/94R4mV1HUQc or visit www.troopstotechcareers.org to learn more about the possibilities.

Registration is OPEN for the fall free VUB modules in Computers, Math, English as an International Language, Financial Education, College Writing Prep, or Veteran Student Success – contact us at www.yc.edu/vub or 928-717-7686!

Post-Traumatic Growth, Road Blocks, Stats

Video Highlight of the Week is on TED Talks: It’s about Post-Traumatic Growth, Reclaiming your Health with a Free Game, and 4 Resilience Activities: http://on.ted.com/McGonigal For a limited time, you can check out the free computer or smartphone app for the ‘game’ at https://www.superbetter.com/

The folks at Military.com have spelled out what keeps veterans from continuing their education, and what resources are available to overcome them at: Roadblocks to Success and they also mention a “Know Before You Owe” tool for comparing student loans, which is available at: www.ConsumerFinance.gov

About 14% of enlisted service members are female, but female veterans identify themselves as veterans less often than males do, in social, academic, and healthcare situations.  If you wonder why, check out this article from The Chronicle of Higher Education at: Female Veterans on Campus

Figures on the percent of the US population that has served in the military vary slightly, but the differences between the previous war times (between 8-11% in WWII, and around 4% in Vietnam) and the "less-than-1%" currently serving have caused concerns about a disconnect between the military and civilian populations of the U.S.  The human stories of those currently serving, and of their families, are highlighted in milblogs, and an excellent example is the blog of Flight Medic Sgt. Eric Williams, who recently died in Afghanistan.  He posted his Coming Home post just days before he was killed; see it and the memorial comments at: http://myfriendthemedic.blogspot.com/

Looking for ideas on how to thank veterans for their service?  Check out: http://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces or http://www.history.com/veterans