Wise Choices, Transfer Day, Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Event in Cottonwood, Security Sites & Careers

Today’s Video is the latest in our Veterans Upward Bound YouTube playlists, about how to make wise choices on important decisions, at: http://youtu.be/8DdO2yXZ76Y

University Transfer Day at Yavapai College Verde Valley campus is Wednesday 2/20/13 from 10am-2pm in the Student Lounge in Building F –and- at Prescott campus on Thursday 2/21 from 10-2 in Building 19 Community Room.  In addition to Yavapai College program information, the following university representatives plan to attend: AZTransfer.com, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Grand Canyon University, Midwestern University, NAU- Yavapai, NAU- Prescott, New Mexico State University, Old Dominion University, Prescott College, and University of New Mexico.

The Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home celebration will be in Cottonwood this year on March 30.  If you are interested in being involved in the motorcycle procession, attending, or coming to the event, see their Facebook site at: https://www.facebook.com/Welcome.Home.Vietnam.Vets Please also view the moving tribute Video from 2012 Sedona Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3730280273970

If you are interested in national security issues or homeland security as a career option, here’s a list of  national security sites on the web, provided to us by James Lincoln.  It covers personal and professional sites related to counter-terrorism, general national security, defense and many other related sites. You can view it here http://www.masterofhomelandsecurity.org/national-security.html

If you have a career interest in homeland/global security, you may also want to check out program offerings from Embry Riddle (http://prescott.erau.edu/degrees/undergraduate/global-security-intelligence-studies/index.html) and Yavapai College (http://www.yc.edu/academics/degrees-and-certificates/criminal-justice-and-security-certificate/113)  At Veterans Upward Bound, we can help you sort through your career interests and find educational programs that work for you, check us out at www.yc.edu/vub - we have new free college-prep classes beginning in March!

Veterans Job Expo, Tillman Run, Dogs & PTSD

Recruitmilitary.com is preparing for their Veterans Job and Career Expo in Glendale on March 28 from 11-3:00 at the University of Phoenix Stadium.  They’d like to know more about what types of job/career opportunities you want to see at the event, so take the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YLC5DVS You can sign up for a free account, post your resume, and surf through veteran-friendly job openings nationwide at their site: www.recruitmilitary.com

We’ve talked about Arizona hero, Pat Tillman here before, but as a refresher: Pat Tillman, ASU graduate and Arizona Cardinals NFL player, left his promising football career to serve as an Army Ranger in the post-911 era.  He was killed in action in 2004, and the Pat Tillman Foundation was created to continue his mission of leadership and service.  The memorial fundraising run is coming up on April 20, see the registration details at: http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org/pats-run/race-info/  Participants can walk/run the 4.2 miles (kids have a 0.42 mile fun run), symbolic of Pat’s #42 Sun Devil jersey.  Register early to run as an individual, or create or join a team!

Dog (and cat) owners already know the many benefits of having a pet, but here’s a good article that enumerates the positive outcomes of dog ownership for those with PTSD, at: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/dogs_and_ptsd.asp Keep in mind, that if you are not sure that you are ready for the responsibility of owning your own pet, try volunteering at your local animal shelter to help walk dogs, or socialize cats – providing a valuable service and healthy exercise for both.

On a more humorous note, here’s a fun video about an amazing Arizona dog!  Jesse the Jack Russell Terrier keeps house at: http://youtu.be/LgBKhj48VDY

Pets for Patriots, Mission Redefined, Valor Games, Veteran Entrepreneur, Bowl for Kids

Pets for Patriots highlights a departed hero of WWII in their Video of the Week at: http://youtu.be/lMaMc7D6Nng  Check out their website at: www.petsforpatriots.org and ask at your local shelter or pet rescue organization if they offer any ‘specials’ for veterans.

VA Adaptive Sports program and Mission Redefined: these initiatives seek to help veterans heal from the impacts of their service, whether it is a physical injury, or something less visible, like PTSD.
• The VA is currently referring veterans with PTSD to Mission Redefined, a sports and wellness training program April 14-19 in Ohio.  Expenses for travel/food/training are provided for those veterans referred by their VA, see more information at: http://www.va.gov/adaptivesports/  Hurry, spaces are limited and the deadline has been extended until Feb 18.
• The Valor Games for physically disabled veterans is expanding to more cities in 2013!  See more about opportunities for veterans and volunteers at: http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/8721/valor-games-coming

PTSD therapy turns into small business for USAF veteran, Jahrod Matlock, who handcrafts unique pens and donates 10% of his profits to the Wounded Warriors Project.  See the print article at: http://www.krtv.com/news/great-falls-military-man-turns or the video at: http://www.krtv.com/videoplayer/?video_id=20337 and Matlock's Pentories Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Pentories

Even if you are a terrible bowler, Big Brothers/Big Sisters wants you for their March Bowl-for-Kids fundraising events.  In Yavapai county, bowling locations are in Quad-cities and Verde Valley and team captains are sought now, to gather teams of six for the event.  Call Don for Verde Valley at 928-634-9789 or Teresa for Quad-cities at 928-778-5135.  See their website at: http://www.azbigs.org/

Stress & Change, State of the Union Feedback, 4 Vets Receive Presidential Citizens Medal

I’m always looking for better ways to handle stress!  Kelly McGonigal has some excellent videos on the web (like the one in the last post), and here is one about The Science of Change which is our Video of the Week at: http://youtu.be/bTLkpX2SorA
Here’s a print article in which she talks about her academic work on stress: http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2012/06/27/stanford-health-psychologist-kelly-mcgonigal If her name and voice sound familiar, her twin sister, Jane McGonigal, has been featured on a popular TED talk about using a video gaming approach to life at: http://on.ted.com/McGonigal Both sisters have their PhDs - wow.

Tuesday, February 12th, President Obama will deliver his 2013 State of the Union address, and you can view a live stream enhanced version on http://www.whitehouse.gov/ Before, during and after the speech, you can submit your questions on Twitter using the hashtags #WHChat and #SOTU. Share your ideas and concerns about veterans issues.

February 15th, the President will announce four veterans that will receive the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the 2nd highest civilian honor, according to Stripes.com.  Those veterans include Adam Burke, founder of Veterans Farm; Michael Dorman, founder of Military Missions in Action; Terry Shima, executive director of the Japanese American Veterans Association; and Billy Mills, co-founder of Running Strong for American Indian Youth.  See the full article at: http://www.stripes.com/four-veterans-among-presidential-citizens-medal

Rewire your Brain, Dustoff Association, Outward Bound, Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall Volunteers Needed

Video of the Week is on how to Rewire your Brain to improve your willpower, at: http://youtu.be/0V3va9RgUhA

Call for military supporters: The Dustoff Association is seeking your help in getting their documentary shown on TV.  The documentary is about medevac crews and their contribution to saving lives (risking their own) by getting wounded warriors to medical facilities.  You can ‘like’ their Facebook page and contribute a comment at: https://www.facebook.com/TheDustoffAssociation?ref=nf

Outward Bound is nationally recognized as a program that changes lives through challenge and nature, and they offer a special program for veterans, which includes travel costs.  Read more about this free offer: http://www.outwardbound.org/veteran-adventures/outward-bound-for-veterans-home/

The traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall is coming to Cottonwood from March 28-31.  Volunteers are needed to help greet visitors, locate names on the wall, accept donations for luminaries/neatly write names on them, or help clean up – if you can offer 3-4 hours to help make this event a success, please contact Jim McMeekin at jlmc@commspeed.net and let him know your day/time availability.

Visual Vacation, Veterans Credit Management Basic Training

Today’s Video is about cutting edge panoramic photography, and whether you are photo buff, or love nature, or long for the feeling of flying in a beautiful place, see the introduction by the photographer at: http://youtu.be/B3MaCFj7Cy4 and then...Wow - Take a visual vacation through the unique 360 Degree photos (all in beautiful Utah) at this site: http://www.utah3d.net/

Basic Financial Training for Veterans, a good primer for anyone who wants to build or repair credit:
• Check out the six steps to becoming debt-free at: http://www.military.com/money/personal-finance/credit-debt-management and
• The Dos and Don’ts of paying bill collectors at: http://www.military.com/money/personal-finance/credit-debt-management and
• How to make 2013 your lucky year at: http://www.military.com/money/personal-finance/credit-debt-management/13

Music as Therapy, Active Duty Students, Ticket to Work, Pinkerton Wants Vets

Today’s video is about using music to heal the brain, from the PBS News Hour, at: http://youtu.be/Ketz-mJ-x-Q

A new twist on test anxiety: Here’s an article about the challenges of being an active duty military student, taking college classes in the combat zone puts a whole new perspective on it: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/education/edlife/the-complicated

People receiving Social Security Disability Income may be eligible for the Ticket to Work program, that helps people ease back into the working world.  Here’s more information about recent podcasts and tutorials to help understand that career development program: http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2013/02/04/ticket-to-work

Veteran Talent Wanted is what Pinkerton wants you to know – jobs utilizing military skills are available in this worldwide security firm, see more info at: http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employer/pinkerton/