Wild Careers, Self-Employment Workshops, Saving Money, Military Deals & Discounts

Are you interested in nature and wild animals?  Have some time to volunteer?  E-mammal is an effort to track wildlife in open spaces, to take a snapshot of what animals are there.  Motion activated cameras are set and monitored by volunteers.  If the idea of animals taking selfies interests you, check out this video from the Smithsonian at: http://youtu.be/QpVkACQfJeI Who knows: It may lead to a new career in the wild for you?

Some figures show up to 45% of Veterans want to start their own business.  Free workshops for people interested in starting or improving their own small business are offered by the Business Assistance Center in Cottonwood.  On June 17th from 2-5, a Business Start-Up Lab will cover topics like start-up costs, legal issues, and marketing – call 928-340-2740 to reserve your spot and get directions, or check your local Small Business Development Center for more information for your location.

How to Save Money: There are all sorts of lists out there, here’s one on the 30 Best Money Saving Tips for College Students at: http://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/3968-30-money-saving-tips-for-students  Fastweb also has a lot more tips for students, how to find scholarships, explaining grants and loans and much more.

Did you know that Military.com actually has an e-newsletter dedicated entirely to Military Deals and Discounts?  You can sign up for e-delivery or just browse when you are looking for a deal at: http://www.military.com/discounts

Memorial Day Run for the Wall, Six-Word Memoirs, Finance Concerns, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Free Museum Admission

POW-MIA Awareness Conference and the Run for the Wall cross-country motorcycle ride highlight Memorial Day’s purpose – see more at: http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans-on-cross-country-ride-to-raise-awareness-to-jpac-problems-1.284022

Six-Word Memoirs are amazing - and covey a feeling in only six words.  Here's an example: "Soldiers deserve more than a barbecue." There’s a Six-Word contest for Memorial Day, read more about it at: http://www.sixwordmemoirs.com/story.php?did=492285

Financial troubles are faced by a growing number of Veterans, see: http://www.stripes.com/news/financial-dangers-threaten-servicemembers-off-the-battlefield-1.284334

The Challenged Athletes Foundation highlighted Marine Sarah Rudder, and her challenge post-injury at the Pentagon on 9/11/01.  You can find out more about CAF at: http://www.challengedathletes.org/ and read more about Sarah’s story at: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152098646982555

Free museum admission for Veterans and servicemembers from Memorial Day through Labor Day, see: http://www.stripes.com/news/us/more-than-2-000-museums-to-offer-free-admission-for-servicemembers-1.284216

Northern Arizona Veterans Upward Bound 

honors all Gold Star Families on Memorial Day, and every day.

Photo courtesy of Arlington National Cemetery Facebook

Vietnam War Turns 50, Pets for Patriots in Northern AZ, Troops2College, Steps to Recovery Homes

It’s hard to believe that it has been 50 years since the Vietnam War…Stripes has been running a great series of articles, videos and photographs on ‘Vietnam at 50’ – see it at: http://www.stripes.com/news/special-reports/vietnam-at-50

Veterans and military families in Northern Arizona, if you are thinking of adopting a pet, here’s a great way to get some discounts on pet supplies, adoption fees, and veterinary costs through Pets for Patriots, a national non-profit organization working with shelters in many states.  Read more at: http://verdevalleynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&SubSectionID=114&ArticleID=60215

Bookmark Alert: Here’s a handy blog for student veterans with all sorts of tips and ideas called Troops2College at: http://troops2college.blogspot.com/2013/02/what-happens-if-i-drop-or-fail-class.html

Steps to Recovery Home is having a fundraising bake sale/car wash for substance abuse awareness on May 17th at the Walgreens parking lot (89A & Main St.) in Cottonwood.  Spread the word!

Coming Back with Wes Moore, Mental Health First Aid Workshop, Engraving Names on The Wall, Farmland Movie, Graduation

A new PBS series follows Veterans as they rebuild their lives post-deployment – it begins May 13.  See the trailer at: http://youtu.be/VDlrGVr-waY  Perhaps this will address the civilian-military divide?  Check out Coming Back with Wes Moore and let us know what you think.

Do you know what to do when someone appears to be in mental distress?  A Free Workshop on Mental Health First Aid will help the public learn how to respond appropriately. The Mental Health Coalition and Verde Valley Guidance Clinic will offer this training at Christ Lutheran Church (Hwy 179 & Chapel Rd in Sedona) on Monday, June 16.  Space is limited, so please reserve your space at 928-282-1022.  For more information, see: http://www.sedona.biz/health/mental-health-first-aid-class-june-16/

As Memorial Day approaches, here is a well-written story about the engraving of new names on the Vietnam Memorial wall.  It’s something most of us probably didn't know was going on quietly in the background, as more MIA names were officially changed or old wounds finally took their toll.  See more at: http://www.stripes.com/the-poignant-process-of-etching-new-names-into-the-vietnam-wall-1.281939

Here is a trailer for a new movie called Farmland, that invites younger people to go into farming and ranching as a career.  The USDA and Farmer Veteran Coalition have initiatives that help Veterans become farmers.  See the video at: http://vimeo.com/90611052 and see these sources for more information about how you can get involved: http://www.outreach.usda.gov/veterans.htm and http://www.farmvetco.org/

It's Commencement season: Congratulations to all those graduates out there!  Northern Arizona Veterans: Do you want to become a graduate too?  Summer is a great time to join Veterans Upward Bound to get prepared for your college or technical school journey!  Call us at 928-717-7687 or see www.yc.edu/vub for more info.

Employment Toolkit for Veterans: Exploring, Planning, Connecting

Your Employment Toolkit:  If you are a career-changer, there are a lot of websites that can help you make your job or career search more efficient and effective.  Here’s a site from the Department of Labor with some handy tools to help you discover your career or job path:  http://www.dol.gov/findyourpath/

Bookmark Alert: Military.com and Monster.com team up to provide a toolkit of resources for Veterans seeking jobs at: http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs Topics include: Resume building, Military Skills Translator, Networking, Job Searching, and a listing of Career Expos.  More helpful sites: http://www.gijobs.com/,
http://www.va.gov/vetsinworkplace/, and
http://www.hireveterans.com/

When you think about where opportunities are for future employment, think about your skills and also about current challenges.  For example, energy independence is a hot topic for many reasons, so there are emerging career options.  Here are the top 5 careers in renewable energy development: http://money.howstuffworks.com/5-renewable-energy-careers and a link to the Veterans Green Jobs organization: http://veteransgreenjobs.org/ The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) has lots of links to help you navigate the potential jobs at: http://www.acore.org/about/careers

Well, here’s another take – using your hobby to help you narrow down a good career or part-time job: http://www.militaryveteranjobnews.com/2014/05/6-hobbies-for-veterans-that-can-fund Like many career assessments, this article emphasizes that you should LIKE what you do for a living, and your hobbies are a good clue about what you enjoy and do well.

Lastly, if your career search leads you to college, you might as well get a toolkit for success there too!  Getting student-to-student tips for doing well in college is like having a guide who has the inside scoop: http://blog.cengage.com/successful-study-habits-tips-students-students/

Mental Health Awareness and Resources, RAO Bulletin, Vets Prevail Free Anonymous Online Counseling, DES Veterans Services, Health Care Careers

May’s Mental Health Awareness month has yielded some updated resource guides for communities.  Here is an article about a Verde Valley guide: http://www.sedona.biz/verde-valley-news/coalition-announces-mental-health-resources-guide/ The 32-page guide for the Verde Valley is a link on the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) organization’s website at: http://www.nami-sedona.org/

According to the RAO Bulletin, a program offering anonymous online counseling to Veterans has attracted many Veterans who preferred this option to utilizing VA mental health services.  “The Vets Prevail program, launched in 2012, provides self-assessments, treatment walk-throughs and peer counseling without requiring veterans to identify themselves,” according to a Military Times article.  See the full article at: http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20140414/NEWS/304140047/Anonymous-online-counseling-vets-shows-early-success This free anonymous counseling service is at: https://www.vetsprevail.org/

Veterans' Issues: There are a lot of sources for Veteran-related news on the Internet, one of my favorites is the Retiree Assistance Office (RAO) Bulletin referenced above, because it is clear, organized by topic, and thorough.  If you are interested in receiving the Bulletin in your e-mail, here are the instructions: “To subscribe first add the RAO email addee raoemo@sbcglobal.net   to your address book and/or white list. Then send your full name plus either the post/branch/chapter number of the fraternal military/government organization you are currently affiliated with (if any) “AND/OR” the city and state/country you reside in so your address can be properly positioned in the directory for future recovery. Subscription is open to all veterans, dependents, military/veteran support organizations, and media.”  Bulletins come out twice a month.

Looking for a Job?  Did you know that the Arizona Department of Economic Security has special services for Veterans?  “The primary objective of the Veterans Program is to develop and support programs that increase opportunities for veterans to obtain employment and job training in Arizona. Eligible veterans are entitled to receive priority services in job referrals and training by DES staff, as well as other employment-related services.”  See more at: https://www.azdes.gov/main.aspx?menu=258&id=2194

Career Highlight: Are you interested in a health care related field?  There are plenty of programs at Yavapai College, with free workshops to help you learn more about the options.  Nursing, Radiologic Technology, and several Allied Health certificates and degrees are offered.  For a full list of health and science-related programs, see: http://www.yc.edu/v5content/academics/divisions/sciences-and-health/default.htm