Veteran Resources

There are nearly 392,000 veterans living in the state of South Carolina. There may be times when they experience financial difficulty. Being between jobs or not having a job that pays a salary that keeps pace with the rising cost of living can create a difficult situation.

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Veterans who need and receive Home Improvement and Structural Alterations (HISA) grants because of a service-connected disability receive up to $6,800 and those who are rated 50% service connected or greater may receive the same amount even if a modification is needed because of a nonservice-connected disability.

Whether you are a Veteran or not, long-term care costs can add up fast. Fortunately, help may be available for Veterans and their surviving spouses in need of in-home care or living in a facility.

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As a veteran, many of the skills you learned in the military can be especially helpful in running a business. The wide range of hard and soft skills you acquired through service can be transferred with great success to the private sector. Many veterans are doing just that.

Read this informative article on the Digital website >>>

100 objects history of VA

History of VA in 100 Objects The History of VA in 100 Objects explores the history of the nation’s efforts to honor and reward Veterans for their service by spotlighting individual objects that tell key parts of the VA story. To join the journey through VA’s past, visit the 100 Objects Gallery where new entries are posted each week.  VISIT THE GALLERY.  https://www.va.gov/HISTORY/100_Objects/Gallery.asp

PTSD THERAPY

Nursing Home Abuse Justice was founded to expose the widespread abuse and neglect that occurs in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Some statistics indicate that as many as 1 in 3 senior residents have been victims of nursing home abuse. A large number of abuse cases go unreported due to a lack of awareness on what constitutes abuse and neglect. Our mission is to educate seniors and their loved ones on what these symptoms of abuse look like, and what appropriate actions can be taken to help protect themselves or the people they love.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer:  https://www.nursinghomeabuse.org/legal/lawyer/

Mesothelioma Hope – Providing Hope for Mesothelioma Patients & Families Providing Hope for Mesothelioma Patients. We are committed to providing hopeful information and resources on top mesothelioma treatments, specialists, financial options, and more.

https://www.mesotheliomahope.com/veterans/navy/

VA disability compensation benefits are a monthly, tax-free payment to Veterans who were injured, sustained a long-term illness or experienced a worsening medical condition during their military service.

Many active-duty service members and veterans struggle with health issues, such as substance misuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. Addiction Center offers educational articles for the veteran’s community seeking information and support for these concerns.

https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/veterans/

LIVE WHOLE LIFE

Breathing exercises, stretching, meditation, fitness, yoga, tai chi, and more

Dealing with and adapting to change will determine our ability to take on life’s challenges. Taking care of your Whole Health— emotional, mental and spiritual, along with the physical is key.

Watch the Entire Series!

Managing neck pain with acupressure – Neck pain can interfere with many aspects of your daily life and disrupt the activities you enjoy. Moving and changing positions frequently is good for the body.

Breathing in the Moment – Practicing conscious breathing in the moment can increase the amount of oxygen that is spreading throughout your body and is useful in moments when you feel overwhelmed or anxious. It can provide a focus point which allows you to feel more grounded and present. – Practicing conscious breathing in the moment can increase the amount of oxygen that is spreading throughout your body and is useful in moments when you feel overwhelmed or anxious. It can provide a focus point which allows you to feel more grounded and present.

Hip hinge to strengthen your lower back – While we may not think about it, the lower back plays a role in just about every movement we make throughout the day. Strengthening and protecting your lower back is one of the best things anyone can do for their body every day.

Stillness in busy times with Yin meditation – When our days feel overly busy or stressful it can be nice to slow down and find moments of stillness. There are many ways to do that throughout the day, even if just for a minute or two.

Tai Chi and physical movement – Physical activity, whether done sitting or standing, uses your energy to move the large muscles in your body. An important consideration for any exercise or physical activity program is how we listen to our bodies to sense or notice how we are feeling when we do different movements.

For Veterans who have a spouse, family member or friend who provides care and support at home and could use an extra set of hands, The Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Respite Relief Program provides free caregiving support, which can include: housekeeping, meal prep, transportation, companionship, medication reminders, bathing, exercise, mobility and grooming.

Afghanistan Veterans can learn from Vietnam Veterans

“I’ve got Vietnam Veterans who are still coming here, not because we failed to resolve any issue in their life, but because they found a home in the community,” said Joe Lasky, director of the Las Vegas Vet Center. “They found friendships and a way to come talk and deal with issues that may have started in Vietnam, but now affect their current health. Because Vet Centers are readjustment counseling, that’s defined by every Veteran who comes in here.”

Veterans from all eras are reacting to the events in Afghanistan, such as the U.S withdrawal and the takeover by the Taliban.

Veterans may question the meaning of their service or whether it was worth the sacrifices they made. They may feel more moral distress about experiences they had during their service. It’s normal to feel this way. Talk with your friends and families, reach out to battle buddies, connect with a peer-to-peer network, or sign up for mental health services. Scroll down for a list common reactions and coping advice.

Resources available right now

• Veterans Crisis Line – If you are having thoughts of suicide, call 1-800-273-8255, then PRESS 1 or visit http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
  • For emergency mental health care, you can also go directly to your local VA medical center 24/7 regardless of your discharge status or enrollment in other VA health care.
• Vet Centers – Discuss how you feel with other Veterans in these community-based counseling centers. 70% of Vet Center staff are Veterans. Call 1-877-927-8387 or find one near you.
• VA Mental Health Services Guide – This guide will help you sign up and access mental health services.
• MakeTheConnection.net – information, resources, and Veteran to Veteran videos for challenging life events and experiences with mental health issues.
• RallyPoint – Talk to other Veterans online. Discuss: What are your feelings as the Taliban reclaim Afghanistan after 20 years of US involvement?
• Download VA’s self-help apps – Tools to help deal with common reactions like, stress, sadness, and anxiety. You can also track your symptoms over time.
• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) –  Request a Peer Mentor
• VA Women Veterans Call Center – Call or text 1-855-829-6636 (M-F 8AM – 10PM & SAT 8AM – 6:30PM ET)
• VA Caregiver Support Line – Call 1-855-260-3274 (M-F 8AM – 10PM & SAT 8AM – 5PM ET)
• Together We Served –Find your battle buddies through unit pages
• George W. Bush Institute – Need help or want to talk? Check In or call:1-630-522-4904 or email: checkin@veteranwellnessalliance.org
• Elizabeth Dole Foundation Hidden Heroes – Join the Community
• American Red Cross Military Veteran Caregiver Network – Peer Support and Mentoring
• Team Red, White & Blue – Hundreds of events weekly. Find a chapter in your area.
• Student Veterans of America – Find a campus chapter to connect with.
• Team Rubicon – Find a local support squad.

Common Reactions

In reaction to current events in Afghanistan, Veterans may:

• Feel frustrated, sad, helpless, grief or distressed
• Feel angry or betrayed
• Experience an increase in mental health symptoms like symptoms of PTSD or depression
• Sleep poorly, drink more or use more drugs
• Try to avoid all reminders or media or shy away from social situations
• Have more military and homecoming memories

Veterans may question the meaning of their service or whether it was worth the sacrifices they made. They may feel more moral distress about experiences they had during their service.

Veterans may feel like they need to expect and/or prepare for the worst. For example, they may:

• Become overly protective, vigilant, and guarded
• Become preoccupied by danger
• Feel a need to avoid being shocked by, or unprepared for, what may happen in the future

Feeling distress is a normal reaction to negative events, especially ones that feel personal. It can be helpful to let yourself feel those feelings rather than try to avoid them. Often, these feelings will naturally run their course. If they continue without easing up or if you feel overwhelmed by them, the suggestions below can be helpful.

Strategies for Managing Ongoing Distress

At this moment, it may seem like all is lost, like your service or your sacrifices were for nothing. Consider the ways that your service made a difference, the impact it had on others’ lives or on your own life. Remember that now is just one moment in time and that things will continue to change.

It can be helpful to focus on the present and to engage in the activities that are most meaningful and valuable to you. Is there something you can do today that is important to you?  This can be as an individual, a family member, a parent, or a community member. Something that is meaningful to you in regard to your work or your spirituality? Such activities won’t change the past or the things you can’t control, but they can help life feel meaningful and reduce distress, despite the things you cannot change.

It can also help to consider your thinking. Ask yourself if your thoughts are helpful to you right now. Are there ways you can change your thinking to be more accurate and less distressing? For example, are you using extreme thinking where you see the situation as all bad or all good?  If so, try and think in less extreme terms. For example, rather than thinking “my service in Afghanistan was useless” consider instead “I helped keep Afghanistan safe.”

Finally, consider more general coping strategies that you may want to try including:

• Engage in Positive Activities. Try to engage in positive, healthy, or meaningful activities, even if they are small, simple actions. Doing things that are rewarding, meaningful, or enjoyable, even if you don’t feel like it, can make you feel better.
• Stay Connected. Spend time with people who give you a sense of security, calm, or happiness, or those who best understand what you are going through.
• Practice Good Self Care. Look for positive coping strategies that help you manage your emotions. Listening to music, exercising, practicing breathing routines, spending time in nature or with animals, journaling, or reading inspirational text are some simple ways to help manage overwhelming or distressing emotions.
• Stick to Your Routines. It can be helpful to stick to a schedule for when you sleep, eat, work, and do other day-to-day activities.
• Limit Media Exposure. Limit how much news you take in if media coverage is increasing your distress.
• Use a mobile app. Consider one of VA’s self-help apps (see https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/mobile/) such as PTSD Coach which has tools that can help you deal with common reactions like, stress, sadness, and anxiety. You can also track your symptoms over time.
• PTSD Coach Online. A series of online video coaches will guide you through 17 tools to help you manage stress. PTSD Coach Online is used on a computer, rather than a mobile device, and therefore can offer tools that involve writing.

If you develop your own ways of adapting to ongoing events and situations, you may gain a stronger sense of being able to deal with challenges, a greater sense of meaning or purpose, and an ability to mentor and support others in similar situations.

We are dedicated to improving the overall quality of life for individuals diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases.

Our pages on our website  https://www.mesotheliomaveterans.org/veterans/ , are medically reviewed and verified by certified oncologists and hematologists, and provide the most current and detailed information about the asbestos industry and its health impacts.

In August, Shift will welcome 50+ new startups onto their talent marketplace that makes it easy for some of the most ambitious new companies in America to find and message forward-thinking military Veterans.

Through Shift’s ever-growing, free career transition and advancement programs, military service members and Veterans have an easier time identifying and pursuing opportunities.

Upcoming Program Kickoffs

• Career Accelerator (4 weeks): August 2, September 7, & October 12
• Navigating Next (5 weeks): August 16, September 27, & November 8
• Defense Ventures (8 weeks): October 4

Are You a Veteran in Crisis or Concerned About One?

Did you know that VA offers same day services in Primary Care and Mental Health at 172 VA Medical Centers across the country? Make the Connection Resource Locator

Contact the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255 and press 1, Chat, or Text 838255.)