VA Claims Update in Cottonwood 10/31

Here's a mini-post that couldn't wait:

Veterans Claims Backlog info: Hot off the Press via Mayor Diane Joens:

COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31
WHO: McCain staff, representatives from the Veterans Affairs Regional Office and Veterans Service Officers (VSOs)
WHAT: Veterans informational forum on the Fully Developed Claims (FDC) process
WHEN: 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. PT
WHERE: Veterans of Foreign Wars 7400
705 East Aspen Street
Cottonwood, Arizona 86326

Veteran-Owned Small Business News, Networking for Jobs, Tuskegee Airman Turns 104, Mental Health T-Shirt Contest, Government Social Media List

Today’s Video is about Veteran Owned Small Businesses and the networking potential for government contracts at: http://youtu.be/pYTD8LSAJ8w

Another opportunity for Veterans seeking employment opportunities to network with companies that are hiring – check out: http://www.vtx.jobs/  This group of 100+ employers met their goal to hire 100,000 Veterans ahead of schedule – seven years ahead!

Oldest living Tuskegee Airman, Walter Crenshaw, turns 104: http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/oldest-living-tuskegee-airman-walter-crenshaw-celebrates-104th-birthday-1.249610

A t-shirt design contest seeks to raise awareness of mental health issues, submission/voting deadline is 11/15.  “Design an iconic t-shirt to inspire those going through a difficult time and/or to promote a message against mental health stigma.  Why? An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older - about one in four adults - suffer from a diagnosable mental illness in any given year.  However, stigma surrounding mental illness is a major barrier that prevents people from seeking the mental health treatment that they need.”  See more at: https://www.goodjoe.com/contests/263-design-for-a-greater-good-don-t-overlook-mental-health

Want to get connected with the latest news?  Here’s a handy guide of government social media sites: http://www.va.gov/opa/socialmedia.asp

Call for Volunteers to Read Names of the Fallen: National Roll Call Events on Yavapai College Prescott & Verde Campuses

National Roll Call is an event on November 8th on Prescott and Verde YC campuses.
This is a very formal, solemn, and emotional event, reading the names of soldiers who have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and is held on college campuses and in communities across the nation.

• Students, staff, faculty, administrators, and community members are invited to sign up to read names in 15-minute blocks. 
• To sign up for reading time slots, contact Bob Hoskovec at 928-776-2148 or bob.hoskovec@yc.edu asap and let him know which site you will be attending.  
• The Verde event will be held in room M-137 (601 Black Hills Dr. in Clarkdale) and Prescott event will be in room 19-147 (1100 E. Sheldon in Prescott.)
• Please join us to read and/or to honor the fallen.

I Am Unstoppable, Volunteer Opportunities & Resources, Family History, Best TED Talks, K-9 Hero Saved

Amazing video called I Am Unstoppable, from The Weather Channel Films, about Veteran Melissa Stockwell who has gone from Wounded Warrior to Olympian.  See her inspiring story at: http://www.weather.com/weather-films/shows/i-am-unstoppable/ep04.html?hootPostID=657894b7fd1ab64dea5637db8ba78524

If you are looking for some way to become involved in your community as a volunteer or want to spread the word about some excellent resources, I’ve posted some opportunities from a Volunteer Fair yesterday for the Verde Valley on our Facebook site at:  https://www.facebook.com/NAZVUB  Not in East Yavapai County?  No problem, similar services are available in most communities – these will give you some ideas of where to start looking.

More and more people want to document their family’s past or research their ancestors, this article provides information on some Internet-based archive options at: http://www.housingforseniors.com/Articles/6-Websites-to-Help-Preserve-Your-Family-s-History-Online-294.html

The ‘Best TED Talks for People Over 50’ really has something for everyone at: http://www.nextavenue.org/blog/11-greatest-ted-talks-anyone-over-50 check them out to learn something new and keep your brain active.

Life Savers: Great story about a K-9 hero being saved by the same soldiers he had saved when deployed in Afghanistan, shared by our friends at Pets for Patriots: http://www.thebradentontimes.com/news/2013/10/22/community/local_veterinary_trauma_center_saves_k_9_war_hero/

Catholic Charities Veterans Homelessness Program, National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, Family Caregivers, Disability 101, Ms. Veteran America

Catholic Charities’ Veterans Homelessness program in Yavapai and Coconino counties makes the news at: http://www.catholicsun.org/2013/09/19/over-the-moon-vet-gets-a-second-chance-at-life/

Wow - The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival winners are featured in this slide show: http://www.flickr.com/photos/veteransaffairs/sets/72157635291542430/

Do family caregivers live longer?  You might assume that more stress and demands on time and emotions would damage their health, but check out the report at: http://blog.aarp.org/2013/10/16/sally-abrahms-caregivers-live-longer-oh-no-they-dont-which-is-it/   AARP also offers a free health e-newsletter, if you are interested.

If you or someone you know is disabled, navigating the rules can be difficult.  But here is a helpful site to explain more about how folks on disability might be able to transition to working part- or full-time.  See it at: http://az.db101.org/

The new Ms. Veteran America winner, Staff Sgt. Allaina Guitron, pledges to increase awareness and resources for women Veterans’ homelessness.  The pageant raised $90,000 for Final Salute, a non-profit organization helping women Veterans (http://www.finalsaluteinc.org/)  See her story at: http://www.ketknbc.com/news/good-news/new-ms-veteran-america-is-driven-to-help-homeless

Adopting a Pet, Operation PAVE Expands Employment Opportunities, Becoming a Student Veteran, Grand Canyon Restoration

Five questions anyone considering adopting any pet or service animal should ask themselves first are discussed in this article: http://www.anythingpawsable.com/before-partnering-with-a-service-dog/ Of course, looking into the loving eyes of a pet may make those questions a little blurry!

Paralyzed Veterans of America has partnered with AmeriCorps and the Points of Light Foundation in an effort to expand the reach of vocational assistance and support to all veterans through Operation PAVE (Paving Access for Veterans Employment). See the full article at: http://www.pva.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ajIRK9NJLcJ2E&b=6350111&ct=13371581&notoc=1

If you’re a Veteran, thinking of going to college, or trade school, you aren’t alone.  Here’s a recent article in NPR about the changing face of Student Veterans: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=236259368  

If you are wanting to get ahead, and use your GI Bill benefits to the greatest extent, the Northern Arizona Veterans Upward Bound free preparation will help you.  If you are nervous about getting started, and feel ‘out of the academic groove’ because it has been a while since you were in school, our specialty is our VUB modules for math, writing, science, computers, and more.  And if your GI Bill benefits have expired, no worries, our program is free and we’ll help you navigate college and federal financial aid applications – we’ll teach you the ropes of higher education.  Let us serve you!  Check out our program at www.yc.edu/vub

Do you like growing things?  This sounds like the best job: Growing plants for the Grand Canyon restoration program – could the scenery get any better?  Check it out at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/10/21/one-seed-at-a-time-plant-materials-center-in-los-lunas-new-mexico-helps-restore-the-grand-canyons-south-rim/

Life Blood, Free Leadership Event, YC Viticulture on TV, Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair, Healthcare Fact Checker, Twila Adams Inspires

The Video of the Day: Did you ever wonder how wounded combat soldiers come to receive life-saving blood donations while far away?  This is a real eye-opener about how blood donations travel across the globe to soldiers-in-need.  See the video at: http://youtu.be/f9COSiIH5O4 And thank a blood donor (or be one.)

Veterans who left the military within the last two years: Are you interested in leadership opportunities to help you advance or transition successfully into a civilian career?  Applications for this free leadership weekend event are due October 28th – check it out at:  http://www.pdinh.com/lib/LDP.html

The Viticulture and Enology (grape growing and wine making) program at the Verde Valley campus of Yavapai College has made it to TV!  Check out the PBS Horizon show, and meet the program’s director, Nikki Check (who is also Jerome’s mayor) at: http://www.azpbs.org/arizonahorizon/detailvid.php?id=14617

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is having a Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair in Scottsdale on October 22, for Veterans, active duty, military spouses and reservists: http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes/scottsdale-az2

Fact Checker: If you’re a Veteran who doesn’t qualify for healthcare through the VA or prefers not to use it, WebMD has a helpful site to explain the new healthcare myths and facts, you can find it here: http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/ Not sure if you qualify for VA healthcare?  Check out this handy resource page: http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/apply/veterans.asp

Today’s inspiration is a female former Army Sergeant who survived deployments in the first Gulf Wars only to be paralyzed by a car accident after she was back home.  Twila Adams will inspire everyone to keep pushing past their own limitations at: http://www.pva.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ajIRK9NJL

Free Finance Class, Retiree Assistance Bulletins, Who is a Veteran, Money-Making Tips, RIP MSgt Oresko

Free Financial Education Class in Cottonwood: EmpowerU will be offering our free 3 hr. Financial Foundations class on Wednesday, October 30th from 5:30-8:30 pm. The class covers financial recovery, budgeting and expense tracking, spending, understanding your credit report and financial goal setting. Participants can call Stephan at 928-634-4254 to register and for class location details.  If you live in other areas, check out the schedule for other free classes and events at: http://www.catholiccharitiesaz.org/

Veteran Bookmark Suggestions: Retiree Assistance Office Bulletins are produced by James Tichacek at: http://vets4vets.zymichost.com/rao.html  The Bulletin is published on the 1st and 15th of each month as a service to all veterans.  Distribution in a blog format is by Michael Isam via his forum, Veteran's Today! at http://w11.zetaboards.com/CFLNewsChat/forum/27519/  The Bulletins include news, resources, updates on POW/MIA issues, health information, benefit tips, and even military history notes.

The current RAO Bulletin addresses the issue of Who Is A Veteran – which is not as simple of a question as one would think.  Here’s some highlights of the definition from the article: “a former or retired member of the United States Armed Forces, one discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, Guard and Reserve members if disabled by injury or disease during active duty, or a veteran is someone who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America for an amount of ‘up to and including their life.’"

Do you want tips on how to save or make money?  Here’s a good source for some at: http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2013/09/16/50-ways-to-make-a-fast-50-2/ and you can sign up for a free e-newsletter and receive even more ways to save/get cash at: http://www.moneytalksnews.com/author/angelacolley/

RIP – Master Sergeant Nicholas Oresko, the oldest living recipient of the Medal of Honor, died this month at age 96.  In 1945, Oresko showed uncommon bravery during the Battle of the Bulge; see his story at: http://youtu.be/fD1bg5dMDUs

VFW Mane Event, Give an Hour, Twitter Feeds for Veterans, Veteran Job Center, In-State Tuition Map

VFW Mane Event: See the video about NFL Star Troy Polamalu’s challenge to others to raise awareness of Veterans issues at: http://youtu.be/JPNJ1fhHFR8 To see more about the VFW services, see their website at: http://vfw.org/

Walking the Talk: Give an Hour was created in 2005 by clinical psychologist, Dr. Van Dahlen, who believed that mental health professionals would be willing to volunteer their time to help Veterans who didn’t want to use/or were not near VA mental health services.  Her volunteer-staff of 14 people (mostly military spouses) have created a network of 6,000 mental health professionals around the country, who have given 400,000 hours of their professional time.  See more at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/howardhusock/2013/10/07/not-from-the-government-here-to-help-4-giving-an-hour-for-troubled-vets/ To connect with Give an Hour, see: http://www.giveanhour.org/

If you are a Twitter follower, Stripes has issued its list of Top Twitter feeds for Veterans at: http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/the-veterans-twitterati-project

Reminder about Stripe’s Veteran Job Center at: http://veteranjobs.stripes.com/ It lists current job openings, organizations with Veteran hiring preferences/military-friendly/military-spouse-friendly policies, job fairs, featured jobs, and some career search resources.

The Virtual In-State Tuition Map was a collaborative project between the Student Veterans of America, VFW, and American Legion and was officially launched this morning.  The map indicates which states (green) have legislation or higher education policies allowing Veterans (and sometimes their family members) to pay in-state tuition rates, which is helpful to those making educational decisions.  Arizona is green!  States with pending legislation (yellow) and those who do not show significant movement toward this policy are shown in red, with details.  Check out the map at: http://www.studentveterans.org/what-we-do/in-state-tuition.html

Where Soldiers Come From, Troops in Afghanistan, VA Regional Office Closure Status, SVA In-State Tuition Map

Above: See the trailer for Where Soldiers Come From.

Where Soldiers Come From is an independent film about small town friends that enlist together, before, during and after deployment.  The film is available for community screenings at: http://www.screeninghq.org/films/details/92/where-soldiers-come-from

Remembering the 54,000 troops still fighting in Afghanistan, and the military families that support them, twelve years later: http://www.stripes.com/with-little-fanfare-afghanistan-war-drags-into-13th-year-1.245181

VA Regional Offices: Check out the impact of the delay in funding to your local VA offices before you make a trip or call at: http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20131007/NEWS05/310070042/VA-furlough-7-000-employees-close-regional-offices Most hotlines and toll-free numbers remain active, except for the GI Bill benefit lines.

The Student Veterans of America are making college a little bit easier to navigate with their latest tool to determine which states charge in-state tuition for Veterans.  More details are available at their website at: http://www.studentveterans.org/

Women in the Military, Arizona Free Events this Weekend

An Inspiring Video about women in the military: http://youtu.be/SpofBhYTNPU#aid=P9epFBJs5dg and the challenges they face.

More true stories of women Veterans, and resources for support, can be seen at: http://maketheconnection.net/

A great article about the history of women in the military is at: http://www.veteransunited.com/life/militarylife/your-mother-wears-combat-boots-and-thats-ok/

Happy Friday!  Here are some fun things to do this weekend in Northern Arizona:

• If you’re in the Verde Valley, there is a free concert by the Sara Gazarek jazz trio tomorrow (10/5) at 7:30 at the Yavapai College Pavilion (601 Black Hills Dr. in Clarkdale)
• Free Artists’ Studio Tour this weekend in Prescott, info at: http://www.prescottstudiotour.com/ 
• Farmers Markets (Prescott, Chino Valley & more) are at: http://www.prescottfarmersmarket.org/

Government Shutdown & Veterans, Newman's Own Grants, Retiree Appreciation Days, Veterans Crisis Line, Tutoring

The official word from the VA on how the government shutdown will affect Veterans is at: http://www.va.gov/opa/appropriations_lapse_plan.asp  Lots of rumors and constant updates are flying.  Our Northern Arizona Veterans Upward Bound program is operating as normal.

The Newman’s Own Foundation is dedicating $7 million to veteran-serving non-profit organizations through a grants process: http://newmansownfoundation.org/news/newman-s-own-foundation-awards-7-million-in-grants-to-military-service-organizations/ Several competitions opened yesterday, including CrowdRise, a matching fund program that the Student Veterans of America (SVA) is participating in (see more at: http://www.crowdrise.com/ThoseWhoServeChallenge)

According to the RAO Bulletin: Retiree Appreciation Days (RAD) are a great source of information and services for retirees and their family members.  In general, they provide an opportunity to renew old acquaintances, listen to guest speakers, renew ID Cards, get medical checkups and take advantage of lots of other retiree related services.  Based on the extent of the government shutdown, some planned events may be rescheduled, please call the office listed, prior to attending any event.  The next planned events in Arizona:
• ARNG Phoenix, AZ on October 26, contact 602-267-2545.
• Luke AFB, 56th Fighter Wing Retiree Appreciation Day, Saturday, Nov 2, 2013, Club Five Six 0800-1200. Scheduled events: * Flu Shots, Health Education Booths, VA -Federal & State Information and Refreshments For more information, visit http://fightercountry.org/56mdghealthfair or contact RAO at 623-856-3923 or rao@luke.af.mil

Update on the Veterans Crisis Line, also from the RAO Bulletin: “The caring professionals at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping Veterans of all ages and circumstances. Many of the responders are Veterans themselves and understand what Veterans and their families and friends have been through and the challenges Veterans of all ages and service eras face. Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered more than 890,000 calls and made more than 30,000 life-saving rescues. In 2009, the Veterans Crisis Line added an anonymous online chat service and has engaged in more than 108,000 chats. In November 2011, the Veterans Crisis Line introduced a text-messaging service, and has since responded to more than 10,000 texts—providing another way for Veterans to connect with round-the-clock support. Vets can contact the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, or chat 24/7/365 online at http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ChatTermsOfService.aspx or send a text message to 838255.”

If you, or your children, want some tutoring support in school, here is a listing of a variety of programs for all ages (some of which are free) at: http://www.howtolearn.com/best-websites/Top-101-best-tutoring-websites-october-2013/