SITREP NYC

This episode explores the military experiences that impact the mental health of women veterans and the challenges they face when attempting to address these issues. The veterans featured discuss post-traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma. Please be advised. This is the final episode of our special series on the health of women veterans.

Women veterans discuss their combat injuries and how they worked to create a new life after service. Part of a special series on the health of women veterans.

This episode explores the cultural factors that prevent women in the military from reporting illness and injury. Part of a special series on the health of women veterans.

The NYC Department of Veterans' Services partnered with SAGE Vets and the Generations Project in June 2019 for a live storytelling event featuring personal stories told by LGBT veterans. Veterans represented different service eras, including World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Women veterans discuss parenthood in the military and share stories of family separation and loss. This episode is part of a special series on the health of women veterans.  Throughout March, SITREP NYC will spotlight women who are working to overcome service-related trauma from combat injuries to PTSD.

"You always have to be better. You always have to do more." Black women share stories about their military service and discuss the consequences of confronting stereotypes and speaking out against harassment.

After a near-fatal attack in Afghanistan, a black veteran considers whether to come out to his family and fellow soldiers. This episode features James Fitzgerald, Director of the New York City Veterans Alliance. The story told in this episode was recorded at a live storytelling event hosted by the New York City Department of Veterans' Services, SAGE, and the Generations Project in June of 2019. The event featured personal stories told by LGBT veterans from different service eras, including WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam, and the War in Afghanistan.

Why do so many black servicemembers struggle to identify as veterans after coming home from serving in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Black veterans of different eras discuss family, service, and maintaining dignity in the face of discrimination. This episode features stories from Terry Holliday of the NYC Department of Veterans' Services, James Fitzgerald of the NYC Veterans Alliance, Maj. Boyd Melson, Amber Patton, and Janna Williams.

The first episode of SITREP Season 2 profiles the stories of transitioning veterans. From losing a community to regaining a sense of purpose, we explore the challenges and successes veterans experience when they come home from serving their country. This episode features interviews with James Fitzgerald, Director of the NYC Veterans Alliance, as well as Amauri Espinal and Monique Rada of the NYC Department of Veterans' Services.

In this episode we chat with stalwart of the NYC veteran community, Joe Bello. Bello talks about leaving New York to join the Navy, the mentorship he received from Vietnam veterans and his commitment to continuing their legacy of advocacy, and about how he sees himself as serving as a bridge between generations of veterans. Joe Bello serves as Secretary of the New York City Veterans Advisory Board. He is a US Navy veteran and has been an active veteran advocate and organizer in NYC for more than two decades.

In this episode we chat with servant leader and ardent champion of continued service, Vu Nguyen. Vu talks about finding purpose after the military, forging bonds through manual labor, and about making an impact for underserved New Yorkers. Vu Nguyen is the Senior City Impact Manager for the Northeast Region of The Mission Continues. He is a US Navy veteran and alumnus of George Mason University.

In this conversation we hear from tireless advocate and indefatigable lawyer, Coco Culhane. Culhane talks about leaving her dream job in journalism to pursue a career in law, filling the gaps in need in the veteran space, and about channeling rage to achieve social justice. Coco Culhane is the founder and director of the Veteran Advocacy Project at the Urban Justice Center. She is an adjunct professor of clinical law at Brooklyn Law School, where she teaches the Veterans’ Rights Clinic. She has presented on veterans’ legal issues and conducted trainings for attorneys, social workers, and students across the country.

To kick off the start of Mental Health Awareness Month we hear from two Navy Veterans and fellow DVS team members. They talk about the transition from military to public service and speak candidly about the important role that peer connections played in their respective journeys of overcoming stigma and asking for help. Kwesi Douglas is the Director of Digital Services at the Department of Veterans’ Services. He served as a Navy Corpsman with the 1st Marine Division, deploying three times in support of OIF. Jason Loughran is the Associate Director of Special Programs at the Department of Veterans’ Services. He is a veteran of the US Navy.

In this conversation we hear from one of New York City’s most dynamic and effective community advocates. Rouse talks about her journey from the Gulf Coast to Brooklyn, her deep appreciation for the military and its rich history, and about finding inspiration to effect local change after working in City government. Kristen Rouse is the President and Founding Director of the New York City Veterans Alliance. She is a veteran of the US Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard serving as both a non-commissioned officer and commissioned officer.

In this conversation we hear from Marine Corps veteran, advocate, and champion of selfless service, Derek Coy. Coy talks about the formative experiences that led him to the military, the ups and downs of transitioning from Texas to NYC, and about why he considers the Big Apple the best place in the world to be a veteran. Derek Coy is the Veterans’ Health Officer at the New York State Health Foundation. He’s a veteran of both the military and non-profit space having held positions at the Doe Fund, ACLU, and Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) prior to joining NYSHealth.

In this episode we talk about using ancient Greek plays to act as catalysts for community-driven discussions about uncomfortable issues, and about using age-old approaches to help individuals heal from trauma and loss. Later in the conversation we hear about how one individual, DVS Coordinator Monique Rada, has connected with the performances on multiple levels. Bryan Doerries is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Theater of War Productions. Monique Rada is a Navy veteran and Engagement Coordinator at the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services.

In this conversation we hear from a fierce community advocate about the movements she’s leading to combat power imbalances, and the formative experiences that have shaped her life & career. Pam Campos-Palma is an Air Force veteran, organizer, strategist, movement leader and community advocate focused on justice, peace & security, and empowering the disenfranchised.

In part two of our conversation with the co-founders of the Black Veterans Project, we learn more about Kyle and Richard’s mission to archive, amplify, and advocate on behalf of their community.

In part one of our conversation with the co-founders of the Black Veterans Project, we talk about the experiences that shaped them in and out of uniform, and how they’re using what they’ve learned to continue serving their community.

In this conversation we hear from a true servant leader about what it takes to build a supportive infrastructure for student veterans and about the community bonds forged through teamwork & physical exertion. Betsy Montañez is the Assistant Director of the Veterans and Military Resource Center at NYU’s School of Professional Studies. She has more than 13 years of experience working in veterans higher education.

Titus Battle is a veteran of the US Army Reserves recently housed by DVS. He is currently serving as a Resiliency Facilitator for Volunteers of America. In today’s conversation we hear his tale of survival and self-discovery – an unbelievable journey spanning four decades of trauma, addiction, and homelessness, but ultimately defined by his resilience.

On our inaugural show, we hear from the senior leaders of DVS. The team tells us about how they first came to work in City government and their collaborative process of setting and executing the agency’s vision and mission. They talk about continued service, reframing veteran narratives, and about the kind of department they hope to leave for their successors.