Veterans Helping Veterans (and others) Pt. 2

Since returning from the Global War on Terrorism and the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq many veterans have found renewed purpose in serving other veterans as well as their communities at large. As such Veterans Upward Bound's Active Duty to Academics blog seeks to showcase these veterans and the paths of service they have chosen. Here is an article from Task & Purpose that shows how 2 veterans and one active duty member are still serving those in need.

Veterans Helping Veterans

At Northern Arizona Veterans Upward Bound the idea of veterans serving veterans resonates with us as much of our staff are veterans themselves while the rest have veteran family members. That means that the day to day operation of helping veterans is near and dear to our hearts. This idea of giving back and serving other veterans and helping them to be successful, especially after experiencing difficulties, is really gaining traction in the veteran community. It is also very important; who knows veterans, especially those of the current conflicts, better than themselves. So in part 1 of what I hope will be an on-going series of posts I would like to point out 2 veterans who have taken on the tasks of healing themselves and healing their fellow veterans. The first is Derek Weida, a former 82nd Airborne paratrooper who lost a leg to action in Iraq. You can read more about his story here or go straight to his organizations page, The Next Objective to find out more. The other veterans is a former Navy SEAL who was also wounded in Iraq and found ways beyond medication to heal his body. His name is Mikal Vega and he started Vital Warrior to help service members overcome the stresses of combat. Hopefully these stories will help all veterans remember to never give up and that there are other veterans out there that care and provide resources.

Prescott Veterans Stand Down

The Arizona Veterans Standdown Alliance is hosting the 10th Annual Stand Down in Prescott, an event to provide services to homeless veterans and to connect them with community resources. This years event will take place on September 18th and 19th at Frontier Village 1841 East State Hwy 69, Prescott, AZ 86301. If you are a veteran in need please stop by and find out what assistance is out there to help you. If you know a veteran in need please let them know about this opportunity. If you would like more information about the services provided go to the Prescott Stand Down page or check out the flyer Veterans Upward Bound will be there providing veterans with information and resources about opportunities in higher education. Hope to see you there!

Job and Education ideas for Veterans

Here is a great post from We Are the Mighty explaining 7 jobs that almost seem custom-made for Veterans leaving the service. Even better is that you can get the training for 6 of the 7 jobs listed here right here in Prescott, AZ! Check it out here!

Welcome to the new and improved Northern Arizona Veterans Upward Bound!

Welcome Everyone! This blog has been quite for the past 8 months while Veterans Upward Bound at Yavapai College has re-staffed, revamped, and readied for the new year. All of us here are very excited to roll out many new offerings during the fall semester and beyond. You may have noticed that the blog itself has a new title, Active Duty to Academics. This title better reflects what Veterans Upward Bound is here to do, turn former service members into college students. So stayed tuned here or stop by and see all the new things we have going on.

Free Pre-College Classes for Veterans, Town Hall Jan. 8 in Prescott, 2014 Photo Favorites, Discharge Upgrade Website, Participate in Veterans History Project, Stop Soldier Suicide

Welcome to 2015!  We’re back from our holiday semester break – with classes starting on Jan 12.  If you are a Northern Arizona Veteran, and are wondering if you are ready for going back to school – why not try our Veterans Upward Bound free services and pre-college classes first?  Contact us for more information at 928-717-7686 or www.yc.edu/vub.

Coming to Prescott, January 8 from 3- 4:30 at the Prescott VA Health Center: Veterans Town Hall.  See: http://www.prescott.va.gov/ or call 928-445-4860 or 800-949-1005 for more information.

Check out and vote for your favorite photo of the year at: www.army.mil/yearinphotos/2014/   They are all amazing, so it will be tough to choose.

From the RAO Bulletin: “A special web page has been launched to assist veterans seeking to upgrade punitive discharges related to behavior problems caused by post-traumatic stress. The web page provides information and applications to seek an upgrade to discharge from service. The page can be found at http://arba.army.pentagon.mil/adrb-ptsd.cfm.  It follows a recent directive to the Army's Review Boards Agency to give liberal consideration to requests for discharge upgrades from veterans who say they were kicked out of service because of problems related to PTSD, before it was recognized as a debilitating medical condition.”

Eagle Scout Derek Copeland interviewed 16 Veterans for the Veterans History Project (see: http://www.loc.gov/vets/) .  See the Fox News story for more about Derek’s project at: http://bit.ly/1xJ0Pha - maybe you’ll want to do a similar project here?

In 2015, please spread the word to support efforts to stop soldier suicide, and check out the resources available at: http://stopsoldiersuicide.org/

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Vietnam Casualty Photos, Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame, Suicide Hotline, Veterans Upward Bound Services, Holiday Closure Dates

This version of the "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" music video was created by Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum as part of its ongoing effort to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The men who are featured in the video are all Vietnam Veterans who have helped to build the exhibit.   See: http://youtu.be/aFU9_dICQtk

For a Vietnam War casualty photo collection update, see: http://www.stripes.com/news/special-reports/vietnam-at-50/faces-of-the-wall

Have you heard about the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame? Check it out at: http://avhof.org/

Sometimes holidays can be extra stressful - the sights, sounds, gatherings may be uncomfortable for some.  Holidays, or any time you need help, or know someone who might, check out the suicide prevention resources at: http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ or call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 to be immediately connected with help.

If you are a Northern Arizona Veteran, interested in pursuing higher education, you may be eligible for our free Veterans Upward Bound pre-college classes, many of which are available in an online or open entry format.  Please see our webpage (www.yc.edu/VUB ) or call us at 928-717-7686 to find out more about our computer, writing, and math modules and how you can get connected to your educational future through VUB.

We wish you relaxing holidays and a healthy 2015!  Our offices at Yavapai College will be closed from December 20 through January 4, reopening on January 5.  If one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to start college – let us know if we can help you begin your successful educational journey!  Check out our video at: http://youtu.be/5E6Ys3CJiqQ