If you only watch one video this week, please make it this one, and make a difference: http://youtu.be/dx6dkh5izYg Iraq Veteran, Drew Peneton shares his story at the Ignite Phoenix conference, and asks you to help one veteran learn your success tips. "If not you, who?"
TODAY 10/31/12: A virtual career fair will address veterans with service-related disabilities, where unemployment rates are highest. “ON24 and VRS will provide this virtual career fair and the virtual communications platform on which it's based. Along with the sponsoring employers, we are coming together to make a difference,” according to an article in the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-obrien/disabled-veterans) Veterans, military spouses, or caregivers of a veteran with a disability, register to attend here: http://www.veteranrecruiting.com
SmartPhones: friend or foe to students? Cenagebrain.com has blogged about great applications (apps) for SmartPhones or tablets that can help students get organized, budgeting, and homework help at: http://www.cengagebrain.com/blog/2012/07/back-to-school
Many veterans coming back from deployment share that they feel life moves too slowly or with less purpose than during their time overseas. The Mission Continues, a veteran-founded non-profit organization seeks to involve veterans within their communities to reclaim that sense of purpose, see more at: http://missioncontinues.org/ An Arizona Mission Continues event is planned for November 7 in Mesa from 10:00-3:00, if you’re interested in signing up to volunteer, contact James Casey, Service Project Coordinator at: jcasey@missioncontinues.org or 314.571.6183, or create a log-in and sign-up online at: http://missioncontinues.org/event/veterans-day-with-target-in-phoenix-2012
Volunteers are needed to read the names of the fallen at Yavapai College National Roll Call events to be held in Prescott and in Clarkdale on November 9. If you have 15 minutes to spare to honor those that have given their all, contact Bob Hoskovec to sign up for a reading time (Bob.Hoskovec@yc.edu or 928-776-2148.) More information on the event, see: http://www.yc.edu/webtools/apps/opi/news/story-v4.asp?mid=2132
As we enter the holiday season, there are many great programs to help families in need. The Marine Toys-for-Tots Foundation is one with local coordinators in many Arizona communities. Find them at: http://www.toysfortots.org/
The colder weather and the holidays often put a strain on many families’ budgets. If you want to bolster your financial education with free workshops, check out the schedule at your local Catholic Charities: http://www.catholiccharitiesaz.org/ServicesForThoseInNeed/
Are you a parent? Here’s an interesting website shared by a friend who is learning Conscious Discipline, an approach which allows children to feel their emotions and express them in appropriate ways, avoiding blame or bullying behaviors. Rooted in Emotional Intelligence research, specific activities and resources are provided at: http://consciousdiscipline.com/resources/discipline_tips.asp
Thanks to the generosity of a sharing community of friends, we learn about resources and pass them along to you: The Wounded Warrior Regiment of the Marines has helpful resources for anyone dealing with injuries at: http://www.woundedwarriorregiment.org/index.cfm and the AboutFace website, has personal stories and resources for individuals and families about PTSD at: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/apps/AboutFace/
Current and past animal wartime heroes are highlighted in an article honoring the most recent recipient of the Dickin Medal of Honor, a dog named Theo (photo from Stripes.com). But horses, pigeons, and one cat also have served in the line of duty and been honored for bravery. See the article at: http://www.stripes.com/news/photos-army-dog
The statistics are disheartening, that 88% of new student veterans currently drop out of college, but there are resources available to make a successful transition, including the Veterans Upward Bound program and many veteran-serving organizations on campuses and off. See more details at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/25/veterans-college-drop and then reach out so you can get all the help you need to graduate successfully from the college of your choice. See the YCVUB YouTube channel to help you get started at: http://www.youtube.com/user/ycvub
Are you nervous about adjusting to college life? Here’s an article from the VA on making that transition go as smoothly as possible: https://www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/
The Women Veteran Entrepreneur Corps (WVEC) will help with training and mentoring female veterans’ small business ventures, see the article at: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/24/ Don’t forget that Yavapai College also offers Fast-Track Management courses (www.yc.edu/fast-track) and the SBDC (www.yc.edu/sbdc) for entrepreneurs, too!
Video of the Week is about Community Blueprint, a model program that is spreading across the country, helping community organizations connect, to support our veterans. See their website at: http://www.pointsoflight.org/programs/military-initiatives/community-blueprint/become-community, the video is located there along with much more information for volunteers and community organizations wanting to help.
If you have questions about PTSD, what it is/isn’t, what help is available, or how you can help a friend, there is valuable information at: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/
Fallen AZ Hero: The Veterans Upward Bound staff extends its condolences to the family of Sgt. 1st Class Ryan J. Savard, 29, of Sierra Vista, Arizona, who died Oct. 13 in Afghanistan while on patrol.
If you are interested in donating funding, food, or volunteering for Heroes to Hometowns - Turkeys for Troops program, please see the information at: http://azheroestohometowns.org/2012/10/13/turkeys-to-troops-2012/ There are pick-up spots for veterans-in-need in Flagstaff and Prescott (and other parts of the state) on November 4th.
A proposal to amend the Post 9/11 GI Bill to allow spouses of those killed in action to receive the same education benefits as their children would was reported in Military.com at: http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2012/10/spouses-of-heroes-education-act/ The current law does not allow Spouses of Heroes to receive full benefits; the amendment is supported by many military and veteran associations and the SVA.
Happy Belated 237th Birthday to the Navy (Oct 13, 1775 – yes, the Navy pre-dates the United States because it was authorized by the Continental Congress!) For more interesting factoids, see: http://www.military.com/navy-birthday
Animals are often a part of healing for people with a variety of health conditions, and veterans can benefit from working with animals during their transition back to civilian life too. Healing with Horses is the topic of our Video of the Week, shared by the paper.li aggregator. See the video about this Minnesota program for women veterans at: http://youtu.be/NfqdKa-gy-Q
Home Depot will offer 100 Job Fairs for Veterans nationwide at selected stores on October 27th, where their HR professionals with help Veterans with their resumes, job searches, and interview techniques. Locations in Arizona include Surprise and Tucson, or you can get information from them if you are unable to attend in-person, see the link at: http://www.homedepotmilitary.com/
Wanted: 100,000 Veterans to train for high tech jobs! Stars and Stripes reports that GE, Alcoa, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing will team up with the Manufacturing Institute to begin training immediately, see the full article at: http://www.stripes.com/news/new-initiative-aims-to-train-100k-veterans
Here’s a special story about two heroes: one with two legs and one with four. The two-legged hero, Cpl. Jason Dunham, gave his life to save his fellow Marines; the four-legged hero has his own combat-related disability and has found a safe haven with the grieving family of Cpl. Dunham. Read the full story at: http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/10/millitary-dog-suffering-from-ptsd
The paper.li aggregator provided the Video of the Week about PTSD and meditation, another hero’s story at: http://youtu.be/UV05FQ6aBcA
Support your local Student-Veterans on Saturday, October 20, 10:00 am: Veterans Connection ClubCar Wash Fundraiser is at 201 Grove Avenue at Footework Auto License and Title Service, in Prescott
This premium wash includes vacuuming and a mini detailing service. All this for the reasonable price of $10.00 so please come out and support your local veterans and their families by contributing to this Yavapai College Veterans Club.
And now for the villain, there are Arizona connections to the arrest of another Veteran charity scam-artist. The RAO Bulletin reported that a Harvard graduate and lawyer, who was wanted since the 1980s for stealing from his AZ clients, has been found. He was arrested in 2010, identifying himself as “Mr. X,” but this month his true identity was discovered to be John Cody. He swindled over $100 million in a con involving the phony Navy Veteran’s Association. The funds were used for his own benefit and for campaign donations to access top-level Republican lawmakers, with whom he enjoyed being photographed, including President G. W. Bush, AZ Senator McCain, and Speaker Boehner, according to the source article (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/feds-id-fraudster-behind-veterans-charity-scam-article-1.1172640) There are new scams every minute involving Veteran’s issues, so be wary and never give personal information or funding without investigating first. Several charity watch organizations (like http://www.charitynavigator.org/) rate by the percent of donations given to intended beneficiaries vs. administration expenses.
Spotted in Cottonwood, AZ by proudarmymomvv: The “Honk if you support our troops” van – please thank them if you see them! We’re grateful your hero is home.
Resource for Employers and Job Seekers: The Department of Labor has launched a site to help employers find ways to better meet the needs of disabled employees, see the press release at: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20122014.htm#.UHxTIlF36Sl This site is also a good resource for job-seekers, and emphasizes challenging employment situations, such as single-parents, at-risk youth, and ex-offenders needing flexible working situations. The Toolkit can be found at: http://www.dol.gov/odep/workplaceflexibility/#.UHxUO1F36Sk
If you’re a veteran who wants to start his/her own business venture, Forbes Magazine has some organizations you should know about at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/veteranentrepreneursites and don’t forget to check with your local Chamber of Commerce, City/Town/County/State, Community College, Small Business Development Center (SBDC), SCORE (volunteer mentors) – there is a lot of free help out there for you to get started or improve your own business.
Here’s the Video of the Week from the SBDC at Yavapai College on Management Planning for small business owners: http://youtu.be/Zgd4nGKyF8Y
An aggregator sites headlines about special interest topics; to see the paper.li newsstand, go to: http://paper.li/newsstand to find an aggregator about your interests! I receive the paper.li agreggator for Veteran, Disability and Elder News, where The Wall Street Journal Online was highlighted for an article about positive improvements in the young veteran hiring outlook. A coalition of companies has hired over 10,000 veterans in the last three months, with an overall goal of hiring 100,000 vets by 2020. They report that there is still a gap between non-veteran unemployment rates and veterans’ but both are being reduced and the gap is narrowing. See the article at: http://online.wsj.com/article/veteranhiring
The National Roll Call event will be held on Yavapai College Prescott and Verde campuses on Friday, November 9th, from 7:30 a.m. until the last fallen soldier’s name is read. If you are interested in participating in reading of the names, please contact Bob at 928-776-2148 or Bob.Hoskovec@yc.edu to sign up for a 15-minute block (or more.) This national event is held on college campuses and within communities to remember those who have given their lives in service during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
“Coming Home Again” a seminar about veterans and their families regarding transition issues, will be held in Chino Valley Oct 18-20, with veteran families welcome to participate in equine exercises from 1:00-6:00 on Oct 19th. For more information or to sign up, please contact Ann at 928-231-2351 or Hope@ClarityRecoveryCoaching.com This experience will involve Equine Assisted Learning, but no horse experience is necessary for the participants.
Are you part of the ‘sandwich generation’? No, it’s not about lunch, it’s about being sandwiched between the needs of your children, yourself, and your aging parents. Or maybe you’ve become a caregiver for a disabled veteran of any generation? It’s a big job that 66 million adults perform, for free. You’ll find support at: http://www.caregiver.va.gov/index.asp including the Caregiver Toolkit, how to stay healthy while juggling multiple demands on your energy, and how to get connected with resources. An informative article can be found at: https://www.myhealth.va.gov/caregiver
On a lighter note, have you heard about Psy: Gangnam Style, the viral video with over 400 million hits? Well, not to be outdone, several branches of the service have posted spirited videos to showing off their dance skills! See the Stars & Stripes article at: http://www.stripes.com/news/psy-s-gangnam-style-big-hit
Are you confused about election issues, especially if you are just getting settled in a new place, or are deployed, or based somewhere other than where you are a registered voter? Voters’ Toolbox, an online tool from Stars and Stripes, can help you become a more informed voter! See their tool at: http://www.stripes.com/special-pubs/voters-toolbox#.UHV9j04N7XY.twitter Learn more at: http://www.rockthevote.com/election-center/ about military voting and Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots, and let your voice be heard in November. Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) also has a guide to important military-related issues in the current election season, to help you assess how your local candidates compare, at: http://iava.org/election-2012-iavas-voter-guide
From IAVA comes our Video of the Week, about Marine Corps veteran-student, Moses Maddox on David Letterman: http://youtu.be/osREcP1OIwc
If you’re interested in joining or supporting the Yavapai College Veterans Connection club, there is a meeting at 1:00 on October 12th, and a car wash fund raiser on October 20th. Contact the club at ycveteransconnection@gmail.com for locations and directions.
The Veterans Upward Bound Fall II session begins next week, with free pre-college modules in Conversational Spanish, American Sign Language, computers, math, writing, American History and Literature, and Veteran Student Success – available in Northern Arizona to eligible veterans. Call 928-717-7686 or see www.yc.edu/vub
A bonanza of ‘wellness resources for the military community’ can be found at: http://www.afterdeployment.org/ The site includes self-assessments, community resources, social connections for peer-peer interaction, expert commentaries, videos and articles on relevant issues facing today’s active duty, reserve, and veteran families. My favorite is this site, dedicated to helping the millions of children affected by deployments & transitions: https://www.militarykidsconnect.org/ Today’s video is from this site, about Resilience: http://bcove.me/maf83i6q
Rally Point, a new veteran-to-veteran suicide prevention hotline, is being launched in Arizona: http://ktar.com/22/1579444/Veterans-help-veterans-with-suicideprevention-line Daniel Turner, an Air Force and Army veteran, who is the military liaison for La Frontera/Empact-Suicide Prevention Center, is spearheading this project with a $65,000 grant from the Arizona Veterans Donation Fund. “Although the Rally Point hotline isn't yet live, Empact Suicide Prevention Center can be reached on a 24-hour crisis line at (480)784-1500.” For more information, see: www.empact-spc.com
Videos of the Week: Not sure what to do as a career? Here are a few videos about some of the popular programs at Yavapai College: Viticulture and Enology (AKA growing grapes and making wine): http://youtu.be/CvYUXylpC3U and Radiologic Technology: http://youtu.be/f6m2BGKsrrk
The Student Veterans of America has a blog at: http://studentveterans.tumblr.com/ with information on their current leadership and advocacy activities. At Yavapai College, our student veterans club, Veteran Connection, is seeking new members and having events. You can contact them at: veteranconnection@yc.edu
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying affects not only children, but adults in the workplace, and college students. Nearly 50% of college students reported being bullied or cyberbullied by a fellow student or a professor, or being the perpetrator themselves, according to: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/college-students-bullying Everyone plays a role in bullying prevention. Three things* to start with are:
•Spending meaningful time discussing how to resolve problems with your children/students/or coworkers
•Focusing on strengths, emphasizing positive possibilities, building bridges with others
•Present your best self, be a role model/support to others, and address bullying immediately by open discourse
*These tips were adapted from: http://www.howtolearn.com/2012/09/ways-to-end-bullying
My friend, “proudarmymomvv,” sent me a great resource site called PTSD Watch, at: http://paper.li/TroopSupporters/1314139783# I’m not quite sure whether to call this an aggregator or an online newspaper, but there are lots of articles and videos from a variety of sources. The publisher is Support the Soldiers, an all-volunteer organization, and you can find them at: http://supportthesoldiers.org/ From today’s PTSD Watch comes our video of the week, about raising funds for service dogs for soldiers with PTSD and other mental health issues: http://youtu.be/NtuUhq0w-pA
Military.com has sent out another warning to veterans about scam artists trying to sell veterans the service of figuring out what benefits they are eligible for – this service is provided at no cost by the VFW, American Legion, and AMVETS. Please don’t get taken in by this scam – see the full article at: http://www.military.com/military-report/vets-warned-about-more-scams?ESRC=miltrep.nl
According to the RAO Bulletin, all 45,000 slots are filled for the 2012 VRAP program, which allows unemployed veterans who meet certain qualifications to have 12 months of support for their education or retraining. See the full article (and index for recent issues) at: http://sjcvets.zymichost.com/index.html
