Veteran Doctor

It's Never Too Early Or Late — Start Investing for Retirement Now! “Time is money.” — Benjamin Franklin Although Benjamin Franklin may not have been referring to the effect that time has on money accumulating in an IRA, his words hold true with today's investors. That is because time becomes one of the best allies for investors. But even if you did not start investing in your plan until later in life, there is another old saying that also holds true — “Better late than never.” THREE FEATURES OF EMPLOYER RETIREMENT PLANS. No matter where you are financially in your life or how much you already have in your retirement account, your employer's retirement plan may have features that could help build your nest egg. First, the advantage of compounding interest and tax-free earnings until withdrawal. Second, matching employer contributions. Third, the multiple choices of different funds to develop your financial plan. The earlier you can put all these elements into effect, the better your financial future will be. For example, if you start at the age of 25 years old. Even if you do not have much income to spare, the smallest contribution could grow into something meaningful by retirement. For example, a two percent contribution from a $25,000 annual salary is just about $10 out of your weekly paycheck. If you increase your contribution by just two percent each year until you reach the maximum the company allows, for example, ten percent, and earn a ten percent return on your investments, you will have $1,437,543 by age 65. INVESTING CAN BEGIN AT 40 So, many of you may not have had the good fortune of being able to start building financial nest eggs at such a young age. So, what happens when you turn 40 and realize you have not saved anything for retirement? Do not panic! You can still catch up, but you may need to push on the accelerator a little bit. Initially, you will need to start contributing as much as possible to your plan, starting at five percent and increasing it two percent each year until you reach the maximum allotted by your company. Additionally, it will help invest in more aggressive funds, like stock funds, subject to short-term volatility but have historically generated higher long-term returns. HOW YOUR SAVINGS COULD GROW For people who start saving at age 40 and save steadily until age 65, it is still possible to accumulate a significant nest egg. So whether you are fresh out of college, approaching retirement, or somewhere in between, the best time to take advantage of your employer retirement plan is now! How to catch up for starting late saving for retirement Some people take more significant risks in the attempt to get bigger returns. But there is a more straightforward, more prudent way. Many reasons explain why older Americans are financially ill-prepared for retirement.  Many people did not make enough money to set aside for their later years. Others experienced bad luck in their careers, poor financial role models, unhealthy personal-finance habits, or had did not have the proper knowledge on good money management.  Many Americans place other spending priorities ahead of financial retirement. Statistics show that only 43 percent of American workers participate in a retirement savings plan. Many people regret they did not start saving younger in life, forfeiting the vast compounding benefits. Another example of compounding interest is displayed when a 25-year-old puts $10,000 in a stock index fund and only adds $500 a month until age 65; he or she would get $2.34 million. Thus, the 9 percent long-term historical average annual gain for U.S. stocks would compound over four decades, with only a total of $250,000 investment.    Late starting investors can take riskier approaches in their investment portfolios by looking at technology stocks — taking you to your goal quicker. However, focusing on saving rather than investing as you get older may be the more prudent and practical choice. As mentioned earlier, compounding investment returns over long periods is a surefire way to retire comfortably. Another example can be displayed by assuming you begin saving $500 a month at age 25 and stop saving at age 35. That is a ($60,000 initial investment). With a 7 percent annual return, you will end up with $720,000 at the age of 65 if you began saving that same amount at the age of 40 and kept saving until 65. That is a ($150,000 initial investment). With a 7 percent annual return, you would net $412,000. So, you can see the benefits of compounding interest. While beginning the saving for retirement process in your 40s or 50s is not ideal, and it is not a lost cause either.  Playing catch-up If you are starting late on your retirement plan, you can take steps to fund your post-working years. However, you must first stop wasting time and make some potentially uncomfortable moves. The best time to start saving was about ten years ago, but at least you are starting today. Do not be depressed if you are in a place of feeling behind. Many people in the same situation will give up, saying it is too late, but that is not the case. You just must create a plan that works for you. What's Possible? Create a Plan to Find Out! Research and discover how to retire early, build wealth, and feel secure. Do better and be more efficient with your time, taxes, investments, income, healthcare, financial goals, and more. Create a plan that will match your life, goals, and values.  Older savers have potential advantages. They are in the peak years of earnings, where their kids are out of the house and off their parental support. This, in return, provides extra money to route into savings. There is even more money to be rerouted into savings for those who have paid their mortgages off. Fortunately, the government recently, as of 2020, offers catch-up provisions to employees over the age of 50 — an extra $6,500 in a 401(k) and an additional $1,000 in an IRA over the standard contribution limits. You might be tempted to take a ton of risks with your investments to catch up. However, saving money is still far more important than how you invest 10 to 20 years before retirement. Saving vs. Investing Let's show an example of savings vs. investing. Assume Jack and Jill Smith are 50 years old, with little retirement savings. However, the kids are grown to supercharge their savings to make up for lost time. Jack wants to take on more risk to catch up, while Jill would instead simply save more. The Smiths have a household income of $100,000, which will increase at a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment each year. Jill expects their investments to compound at 6 percent annually and would like to save 20 percent of their income. Jack thinks he can do much better than that by trading stocks and saving a little less. Jill thinks Jack is too optimistic. For the average investor, trading stocks usually a money-losing proposition. A University of California study shows that active traders massively underperformed in index funding, thus showing that people who traded the most also had the worst returns. Since the Smiths want to retire between the ages of 65 to 70, they are unsure how far their savings will go in such a short time. Here is an example of their current plan, one with a higher savings rate and one where Jack's stock picks perform at a high rate: UNCREDITED Even if Jack doubled Jill's six percent return target, a higher savings rate would have led to better results. A doubling of the Smith's savings rate from 10 percent to 20 percent producing a better outcome than a doubling of their investment return over two decades. So, increasing your savings rate is way easier than increasing investment returns.  Many people who begin to save late in life assume that all their assets need to be placed into the stock market to make up for lost time. However, your portfolio needs to be balanced with real estate, bonds, and cash with an ample savings rate. Taking on more stock market risk does not guarantee better results. The market will not give you profitable returns just because you need them. Your savings rate is something that you control, while no one controls the returns thrown off by the financial markets. Saving at an early age is essential due to forming solid financial habits and causes compound interest to snowball your money over time. But saving is probably even more critical for those who are behind on their retirement savings. This is because you do not have as long to allow compounding interest to do its thing. Now, this does not mean your time as an investor has ended when you retire. The Social Security Administration states that a couple who retires today will have a 50 percent chance of living into their 90s. So, you could still have two to three decades to manage your money during post-work years. It is just that your time as an earner and saver may have a shorter shelf life if you do not work during retirement. Working longer will allow you to save more money and let compounding interest do its thing, lowering the number of years your portfolio needs to last during retirement and potentially delaying taking Social Security payments. For example, delaying Social Security benefits from age 62 to age 70 can increase your monthly benefit by more than 70 percent. Of course, not everyone wants to work longer, but it can drastically increase your odds of success in retirement for those willing and able.

Facility.             Address. Nevada Department of Veterans Services Headquarters – Reno (775) 688-1653  and FAX (775) 688-1656 6630 S. McCarran Blvd. Building C, Suite 204 Reno, NV 89509 Nevada Department of Veterans Services – Las Vegas (702) 486-3830 Grant Sawyer Building 555 E. Washington Avenue, Room 3200 Las Vegas, NV 89101 Vision All Nevada Veterans and their families understand, and can connect to, benefits and services they have earned. Mission Serve Nevada Veterans by honoring their remarkable legacy and by connecting them to earned benefits and services. Through our seven major lines of effort we: Professionally assist Veterans and their families obtain Federal and State Veterans benefits. Provide quality skilled nursing care at our State Veterans Homes. Provide dignified burial support at our State Veterans Memorial Cemeteries. Manage effective programs addressing the needs of at-risk Veterans. Successfully integrate returning Servicemembers and Veterans into Nevada communities. Honor the service and sacrifice of all Nevada's Veterans and their families through ceremonies and information campaigns. Assist, and coordinate the efforts of, service organizations and individuals insofar as their activities benefit Nevada Veterans, Servicemembers, and their families. Who We Serve Nevada Veterans; Active, Guard, and Reserve Servicemembers living or working in Nevada; and their families, caregivers, and survivors. What We Do. Benefits and Services Burial and Memorial Education Employment Financial Headstones, Markers, and Medallions Health and Wellness Housing Assistance Legal Assistance Outreach Programs Military, Veteran and Family Minority & Unique Veterans NDVS VSOs Veterans Service Officers, Benefits Assistance Assistance & Resources Suicide Prevention Transport Veterans Appreciation VCCs Veterans Community Councils Women Veterans   Suicide Prevention You Matter! If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-8255 and PRESS 1! Vision It is our hope that the Nevada Suicide Prevention Plan will provide a catalyst for collaborative action, improved understanding and increased wellness in communities across Nevada. This plan is based on the strong belief that everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention, and those individuals and groups that address the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs of individuals and communities must work together if we are to be effective. Governor's and Mayor's Challenge The goal of the Governor's and Mayor's Challenge program is to eliminate suicide by using a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention. Anyone can participate. Visit our Suicide Prevention Awareness page for details. The NDVS Suicide Prevention Team has recruited the most Mayor's Challenge Teams in the nation – Truckee Meadows, Las Vegas, Elko and Winnemucca, along with the Governor's Challenge Team. Preventing Suicide Is Everyone's Business The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services has a dedicated office for suicide prevention with information addressing every age group. The mission of the Nevada Office of Suicide Prevention is to reduce the rates of suicide and suicidal acts in Nevada through statewide collaborative efforts to develop, implement and evaluate a state strategy that advances the goals and objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. What to do if you identify someone at risk for suicide – Please read more! Contact theNevada Office of Suicide Prevention Download theStatewide VA Suicide Prevention Resources (PDF) Suicide Prevention Resources Vets 4 Warriorsprovides 24/7 confidential, stigma free peer support by veterans to Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members, Veterans, Retirees, and their families/caregivers. Share lived experiences to create an environment of trust that demonstrates you are never alone, there is a caring, empathic voice ready to connect and follow up. Call Vets 4 Warriors support line at: 855-838-8255 (Toll Free) or visit Vets4Warriors website for more information.   State Veterans Homes Northern Nevada State Veterans Home (Sparks) (775) 827-2955 and FAX (775) 327-4892 36 Battle Born Way Sparks, NV 89431 Please visit the Northern Nevada State Veterans Home page. For questions about Admissions, please call or email Admissions Director Troy Harsh at 775-827-2955 or Troy.Harsh@nnsvh.com. For questions about donations, please contact Julie Dudley, dudleyj@veterans.nv.gov. Southern Nevada State Veterans Home (Boulder City) (702) 332-6784 and FAX (702) 332-6762 100 Veterans Memorial Dr. Boulder City, NV 89005 State Veterans Memorial Cemeteries Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Fernley) (775) 575-4441 and FAX (775) 575-5713 14 Veterans Way Fernley, NV 89408 Please visit the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (NNVMC) page and our Online Cemetery Registration Form.  Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Boulder City) (702) 486-5920 and FAX (702) 486-5923 1900 Veterans Memorial Dr. Boulder City, NV 89005  

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-SIXTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Positive Thinking brings Positive Outcomes. I hope all is well and you are staying safe and healthy. So, we have been encountering some challenges this past year, and depending on the individual, your perspective on these challenges will determine the outcomes of your lives. Let me explain. Many people who approach problems or issues they face with negative attitudes usually have a more challenging time recovering than those with positive attitudes. So with that in mind, I would like to discuss the power of Positive Thinking. Many people who live in snowy or dreary climates are very familiar with the feeling of standing outside in early spring, complaining about how cold and dreary everything looks. It seems like winter will never end. Those negative thoughts can quickly take over your mindset and challenge you to find anything positive to think about. But then something unexpected happens, making you pause when you hear the birds sing louder than you have listened to in several months. This, in turn, begins to change your mood, and your positivity returns. Positive psychology, or better defined as the study of happiness, is “a field that examines how people can become more fulfilled and happier.” From negative to positive, this change in mindset is an excellent example of a central principle of positive psychology. For every negative thought, the goal is to think of two to three positive ones. Psychologists believe this technique will help you banish the negativity that takes up unnecessary space in your mind and improve your mood. Finding the positive is not always a straightforward process, but it can become more concise with practice. Start by recognizing your negative thinking patterns and then intercept them. Frequently, when one negative thought occurs, it usually multiplies. Turning to positive thinking does not mean ignoring the unpleasant things happening around you; it just means that you are approaching those situations more productively. Positive thinking will help improve your mental health and improve your outlook on life and give great benefits to your physical and emotional wellbeing. According to research conducted at the Mayo Clinic, positive thinking can help manage stress, which helps provide health benefits that include: a strengthened immune system, an increased lifespan, lower rates of depression, and decreased risk of death that occur from cardiovascular disease. When negative thoughts begin to occur, try to reframe the situation and find two to three positive things to fight that downward spiral. Try focusing on something different such as the beauty of your surroundings or memories with a loved one. Permit yourself to laugh off the “small stuff,” surround yourself with positive people, and practice positive self-talk daily. Positive thoughts result in positive outcomes. Negative thoughts fill our minds and prevent positive ones from occupying valuable real estate in our brains, which do not have the same importance. You would not keep garbage in your living spaces, so why would you hold negative thoughts in your mind? Eliminate negativity the same way you take out the trash! It only smells and takes up too much space. Results often reveal a person's mindset. If the individual has an “it-can't-be-done” attitude, they are probably right; they thought themselves into that kind of negative thinking. Have you ever seen someone valuable to an organization because of their ability to identify all the reasons why something could not be done? Of course not! Organizations need people who will take the most optimistic approach that leads them to success through positive thinking and finding successful solutions. If you see poor results in your business or personal life, something needs to change. Our thoughts drive our actions. The solution is to examine your thinking and develop a healthier way to fix something that's not working or simply find a new way to do it. Having a solution-oriented attitude brings grander results in a faster way. Think, what can be changed to do this better? Most people will agree when I say that the power of positive thinking is remarkable. The thought that your mind can change your entire world almost seems too good to be true. However, I can assure you that I have experienced AND witnessed the good that focusing on the positive can bring to your life. However, before I continue, let me ask a simple question. Can you fathom what the most successful people think about all day long? Simply…Healthy, happy people think about what they want and how to get it! Developing a positive attitude will change your entire life. When you intentionally think and talk about what you want and how to get it, this creates happiness and greater control of your life. When you think about what makes you happy, your brain releases endorphins, which give you a generalized feeling of wellbeing. As a result, you develop a newfound positive attitude. How to Think Positive Research has shown that positive people seem to have a unique quality that enables them to live a better life. Can you guess what that is? It is their quality of optimism! The best news is that optimism is a learnable quality. You can learn how to think positively by adopting an optimistic mindset. By the simple rules in cause and effect, if you do and say the same as other healthy, happy people with positive attitudes, you will soon resemble the same feelings, gain the same results, and enjoy the same experiences. Happy People Find Good in The World Optimists seem to possess different ways of dealing with the world, which set them apart from the average person. They keep their minds focused on what they want and keep finding ways to get it. Goals remain clear, and they remain confident that they will accomplish them, eventually. Optimists look for the good in every challenge. When things go wrong, they say, “That's good!” Then they find something positive about the situation. We know that if you are looking for something beneficial in a situation, you will always find it.  This will always produce a more positive and cheerful person. The Power of Positive Thinking Optimists seek valuable lessons after every setback or reversal.  So, rather than getting upset and blaming someone else, they control their emotions by saying, “What can I learn from this experience?” Learn how to develop positive thinking and develop a positive attitude toward yourself, people around you, and your life. How to Train Your Brain to Think Positive? Training your mind to think positively is achieved by leveraging a simple concept. The mind only can focus on one thought at a time due to limited bandwidth. Just keep your mind focused on uplifting thoughts until you form the same neural pathways created when you establish new habits. When an adverse event occurs, remember that how you respond will genuinely determine the outcome. Always look for a positive response or an optimistic lesson when adverse events take place. Positive phrases can be repeated to teach you how to eliminate negative thoughts and encourage a positive attitude. Motivation can be found in inspirational quotes and messages. They are instrumental when trying to induce positive thoughts. Decide to Be Happy Happy people give thanks to any blessings in their lives rather than worrying or complaining. Assume the best of intentions in everyone around you.  Most people are pretty decent, honest, and trying to do their very best. When you look the good in their words and actions, something will always appear. Finally, resolve to be joyful, no matter what happens. Looking on the bright side of things is the most important mindset to have when things go wrong. Your Positive Attitude in Action It is a lot easy to be happy when everything is going as planned.  But when you encounter unexpected setbacks, this is when you demonstrate to yourself and the world what kind of an attitude you have. Ensure that you possess a positive one! How Positive Thinking Can Help You Developing a positive attitude can help in more ways than you might understand. When you think of positive thoughts, you do not allow your mind (conscious or subconscious) to entertain any negative thoughts or doubts. After you begin to think positively, you will notice remarkable changes all around you. Your brain will start to operate in a state of free-flowing feel-good hormones called endorphins, which will make you feel lighter and happier. You will also observe a significant boost in your confidence and will feel more capable of taking on new challenges that might have been previously outside your comfort zone. By reducing your self-limiting beliefs, you will effectively release your brakes and experience growth like you never imagined. Essentially, you can change your entire life only by harnessing the power of positive thinking. Here is another way to look at Positive Thinking: There are still diehard people out there who insist that positivity is just a code word for fooling around and not getting things done. They could not be more wrong. The positive state of mind has been shown to fuel incredible results in our lives and work in many ways. A quick primer on emotions. There are countless emotions we can feel. One set of emotions allow us to be aware of danger and threats with intense focus. The emotions that fall onto the negative side also give us the ability to be accurate with complicated or problematic issues. They also help us signal to others if we are displeased with them, warning that things need to be addressed in the relationship. When we feel any number of nuances of anger, fear, and sorrow, we are negatively affected, which is a fancy word for messing with our emotions and traits. It's important to understand that a biological reason accounts for negative emotions, which are essential to our survival. It would be crazy to propose that anyone ever try to wipe out negative emotions. We need them. But here is why it's essential to be more deliberate about positive affect. We have a lot more brain architecture devoted to danger and threat detection than we do to rewards. So, positive emotions are necessary to give a critical boost to our productivity, effectiveness, and overall wellbeing. We need to deliberately lookout for things that give us positive affect. We know that negative emotions tend to narrow our focus and prepare us for a fight, flight, or freeze response. When threatening situations occur, our brains look for old information to protect ourselves from the perceived threat. That works well when bad things are happening quickly. This allows us to access relied upon neural pathways to answer problems. That is why we practice something over and over again. Practice helps us create muscle memory to access needed skills in the heat of a situation without thinking. Overall, negative emotions can feel threatening. On the opposing spectrum, positive thinking and positive emotions feel positive and open our brains for compelling results. This also gives us a sense of reward and safety. We are in our most creative, innovative, and productive space when we feel optimistic about what we are doing. Think about all of the ideas you can develop when there is no threat or risk. Additionally, think about how much longer you stay with something when you like how it makes you feel. Positive emotions also act as an erasure to the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol at the higher levels of a chronic state can lead to numerous debilitating health issues affecting memory and cognitive ability. So, we need to give our brains some relief each day by positively erasing its stressful effects. Our brain's negative bias is vast, so rebalancing 20-30 seconds a few times a day is all it needs. It is very little to ask when considering the benefits of positivity. Work and life are filled with situations that require us to do and say things that feel bad. It also makes sense to be more negatively affected when we're making a spreadsheet or elaborate proposal. That helps with accuracy. However, highly successful people actively seek out thoughts and circumstances that place them in a positive state of mind. Know where you stand. We are born with a naturally “set range” of positive and negative affects. The more positive affect you possess, the more resilient you are in the face of setbacks and feel more positive feelings. The opposite is true if you have a higher set range in the negative affect.  The way to you can get an idea of your set content by going to www.authentichappiness.com.  It is a site by Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he offers several tools. You must sign up to participate. Take the Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). If you answer honestly, you will get two scores: one for positive affect and one for negative. These scores range from 0-50. The higher the score, the higher the effect. If your positive score is higher than your negative score, you are more prone to positive impact. The opposite is true if you have a more negative effect. If you want to increase the amount of positive thinking in your life, researchers have found that you can do a few fundamental things each day to permanently change the effect in your life. Here are six tips for achieving more positive affect. Take a picture every day of something that brings a sense of happiness or just makes you laugh. Review your photographs often throughout your week. The bump of positivity you will get is impressive while forcing you to lift your head out of that work project and notice things that give your brain positive neurochemistry. Keep a gratitude journal. Plenty of research has shown that people who write down a simple statementof gratitude for something that happened to them that day are more prone to a sense of wellbeing. Do at least one thing each day that positively surprises somebody else. Call up a dear old friend just to say hello to them. Leave post-it notes on a colleague's computer screen thanking them for the job they did on a project with you. Compliment someone on their intelligence, talent, and how healthy they look. Do mindfulness exercises or meditate. The primary point is to calm and focus the mind on resetting the stressor chemical cortisol every day. Create a laughter file. Take all the humorous jokes and videos that friends and family send you and store them in a file. Each day, you need to read or watch a few. Keep a file of the articles or YouTube videos that warm your heart. Visit those fond memories each day for a few minutes. Many of the things here will seem ridiculous to people deeply invested in being negative or adverse. That determination is acceptable, so long as it does not follow with depression or an inability to bounce back from setbacks. Nonetheless, research has shown that positivity only takes one small bump each day to begin to benefit from the power of positive emotions. Eventually, new perspectives develop when bad things happen, and we become more resilient in the face of the danger that the world offers us each day. Hopefully, this has been some insightful and helpful information. Give it a try! You will be surprisingly pleased with the outcome and results. Until next time, have a great month, be safe, stay healthy, and enjoy!

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-FIFTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Veterans Stress – Stress has dramatic effects on the Mind and Body. As veterans, we are faced with different challenges as life gets back to somewhat of a normal pace again after COVID. Some of us are happy, while others are getting a little stressed and anxious. Stress is very powerful. We, as veterans, have dealt with different forms of stress throughout our lives. We should be experts, but all of us deal with stress differently. So, I would like to educate everyone on the effects of stress to help us understand it and potentially deal with it better when our lives get into those stressful moments. So, there you are, sitting in traffic, late for a necessary appointment, watching the clock tick away. Your brain decides to release the stress hormones! These stress hormones trigger your body's “fight or flight” response. Your heart races, you begin to breath more rapidly, and your muscles tense, ready for action. This response was designed to protect the body in the case of an emergency; however, as this response keeps firing day after day, it could cause severe risks to your health. Stress is a natural reaction to many different life experiences. Everyone experiences and handles stress differently. Anything from work, school, or family to serious life events, a new diagnosis, war, or death can trigger stress. For short-term situations, stress can be beneficial by helping you cope with serious situations. Although, if your stress response does not reset and these stress levels stay elevated, it can affect your health. Chronic stress can produce a variety of symptoms and affect your overall well-being, like irritability, anxiety, depression, headaches, and insomnia. Central nervous and endocrine systems One of the responsibilities of your central nervous system is the “fight or flight” response. The hypothalamus gets the ball rolling in your brain, telling your adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones speed up your heartbeat and send blood rushing to the areas of need, such as your muscles, heart, and other vital organs. When the perceived fear is gone, the CNS should return the body back to normal; however, if the stress doesn't go away, the response will continue causing chronic stress. Chronic stress is also a factor in overeating, drug and alcohol abuse, and social withdrawal. Cardio and Respiratory Systems Stress hormones affect every aspect of our respiratory and cardiovascular systems. During a stress response, you breathe faster to distribute oxygen-rich blood to your body quicker. If you have prior breathing issues like asthma or emphysema, stress is going to make it worse. Stress hormones cause your heart to pump faster, which constrict your blood vessels and divert more oxygen to your muscles, so you will have more strength to react. This process also raises blood pressure. As a result, chronic stress will make your heart work too hard, too long. When your blood pressure rises, so does your risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Digestive system Under stress, the liver will produce extra blood sugar (glucose) to give you a boost of energy. If you are under chronic stress, your body may not be able to break down this extra glucose flood. Chronic stress may potentially increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The body's increase in hormones, increased heart rate, and rapid breathing can also upset your digestive system. You are more likely to experience heartburn or acid reflux, thanks to an increase in stomach acid. Stress can also affect how food moves through your body, primarily leading to nausea, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea, or constipation. Muscular system During stressful times, your muscles tense up to protect themselves from injury. Your muscles will release again once you relax, but if you are constantly under stress, your muscles may never get the chance to relax. Tight muscles cause back and shoulder pain, headaches, and body aches. Over time, this can cause secondary unhealthy issues of cycle-stopping exercise and turn to pain medication for relief. Sexuality and reproductive system Stress is extremely exhausting for both the body and mind. It is not unusual to lose your desire when you are under constant stress. In comparison, short-term stress may cause men to produce more male hormone testosterone, although this effect is not long-lasting if stress for long periods of time, a man's testosterone levels can begin to drop. This can interfere with sperm production, cause erectile dysfunction, or even impotence. Immune system Stress stimulates the immune system. This stimulation helps in avoiding infections and healing wounds. But excessive stress hormones can weaken your immune system and reduce your body's response to fight foreign invaders. People who experience chronic stress will become more susceptible to viral illnesses like the flu, common cold, and other infections. Stress can also drastically increase the time it takes you to recover from a disease or injury.  Managing your stress levels We have established that chronic stress is terrible for us, but what is more important is how to realistically manage it properly. Reorganize and Refocus. When stress increases, we are focusing on an event or situation that could or has gone wrong. Instead of focusing your attention on the negative aspects of these stressful events, take a step back and refocus. Train your mind to start thinking about things that can go positive. Every situation is only as stressful as our mind perceives it. If we can assess and reorganize our thoughts, then we can focus on what we can control. We are much less likely to become stressed. Assign yourself reasonable goals. It is common for most people to take on more than they can handle. We think we can do it all. Truthfully, we all have our limitations. Assess the amount you can manage and recognize when it is beginning to feel like too much. It is fine to say “no” to some requests. If you feel like you cannot take on anymore, just say so! This helps to eliminate unnecessary stress and allow for time to relax!  Make and create time for yourself. Create enjoy at least one relaxing activity every day. This means make time and listen to music, read, or even just sit in a quiet room. These 15 to 30 minutes can help lower your stress levels and help you focus and think more clearly. Get some perspective.  Easier said than done! Especially when something negative has happened. However, a more important question to ask yourself: is this truly worth my attention? Try to focus on the positives and just move on. You need to spend your time on things that are important to you. Exercise. Numerous studies have proven the benefits of managing stress with exercise. Try working out 30 to 60 minutes each day by performing any activity, whether weight training, yoga, pilates, cardio, etc. If this is too unrealistic for you, try these other options: (1) Park your car at the far side of any parking lot for a longer walk, (2) Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or (3) Bring in groceries one bag at a time. So, I hope you enjoyed this information. Even if it may not pertain to you at the moment, there will be times that stress will affect you in one way or another. If not, share it with another Veteran who may be having some issues with stress. Anyway, have a good week, stay safe, and I will see you at the next week. Take Care! REFERENCES: Healthline.com (2021). The Effects of Stress on Your Body. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/effects-on-body Mannsfield, T. (2017). 5 Things you Can Do Before Stress Takes Its Toll. Core Life Eatery. Retrieved from https://www.corelifeeatery.com/5-things-you-can-do-before-stress-takes-its-toll/

Leashes of Valor www.leashesofvalor.org About Founders About Danique Masingill President & Co-Founder Danique's journey to serving as Leashes of Valor's president began when she was a member of the U.S. Navy. Her duty was to enforce military law, but she was left with nowhere to turn when she was sexually assaulted by senior leadership. The trauma from this experience led her to leave the military after five years of service. But her will to help fellow veterans remained a guiding force. As a student at Syracuse University, she quickly established herself as an expert in the field of military working canines and service dogs. Congress, The Department of Transportation and Government Accountability Office each tapped Danique's knowledge to craft wide-ranging policies regarding service dogs and military canines. Then, amid surging suicide rates among veterans in 2017, Danique co-founded Leashes of Valor, as a means to help former service members recover from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. In furtherance of this goal, Leashes of Valor recently partnered with Thomas Jefferson University's College of Nursing to research service dogs as a scientifically proven treatment. About Jason Haag CEO & Co-Founder Captain Jason Haag spent 13 years in the United States Marine Corps, including two tours in Iraq, conducting frontline operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, retiring as a Marine Corps Captain. After sustaining a machine gun injury and multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBI) during service, Captain Haag struggled with the after effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), leading him to be medically retired after numerous combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan.  In 2012 Captain Haag contacted an organization that provides warriors with service dogs. Within 7 months of applying Captain Haag was paired with his post-battle buddy and lifesaver, a service dog named Axel. Since experiencing the firsthand benefits of service dogs, Captain Haag has toured the country, educating policymakers, warrior organizations and warriors on the importance of service dogs for military warriors. He has been featured on over 50 news outlets including CNN and FOX News, and has been invited to speak publicly at Academic Institutions, Veterans Service Organizations, as well as Congressional briefings. Captain Haag has played an integral role in the creation of new laws regarding the acceptance of service canines in public establishments in Virginia and Florida. About Matt Masingill Canine Operations & Co-Founder Matt T. Masingill is a 21-year retired United States Navy veteran, has spent over 27 years in uniform and is an advocate serving the veteran and military community. Masingill served honorably from 1992 to 2012 as a Boatswains Mate First Class (SW). Throughout his time in the service, he drove small craft in a variety of roles, managed harbor operations overseas and in the continental United States supervising ship maintenance and operated as a combat Coxswain instructor for Anti-terrorism force protection certifying Second Fleet vessels. Over the past five years, Masingill has become very active within the Veteran Service Dog industry. Masingill previously served with organizations such as American Humane Association and K9s for Warriors and has extensive experience in program management and development, training service dogs with veterans, and acting as the lead Warrior trainer with over 200 Warrior K9 teams graduating and recertifying under his leadership. Masingill not only brings his own military experience to his work, but also leverages his perspective as a veteran and military spouse; his wife is a Navy Veteran. Statement. Leashes of Valor is a national non-profit working to provide every post 9/11 veteran who needs one with a highly-trained service dog to assist them in mitigating the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Our mission is to bring service dogs and post 9/11 veterans together in order to enrich and improve the lives of both. What We Do. We provide task trained service dogs that are public access ready to veterans dealing with PTSD, TBI or MST at no cost to the veteran. We also provide an Emergency care grant called Dust Off for working dogs. How We Do it. We rescue dogs and train them at our facility to become Service dogs. Through the application and interview process we derive the necessary tasks to train for a specific dog to mitigate the veteran's symptoms and assist in their daily life. The 16 day residential program at the ranch is designed to train the veteran on the use of their service dog, conduct tasks for public access and to instill the foundation of their bond. The dog has received all public access and task training prior to the veterans arrival and pairing, so the two-week program is solely for the veteran to focus on their training. The success of this training methodology is based on the peer to peer aspect, in which the veteran is immersed in a small unit of veterans that have been through or are simultaneously going through the training. This is all made possible by generous contributions from our donors, to ensure no veteran has to incur costs in order to receive their service dog. Facility. Leashes of Valor is located on a 20-acre farm in rural Virginia, where we have our live-in facility for our Warriors and Service Dogs. At max operation, our facility graduates 3 Service Dog teams per month. Training a Service Dog is expensive, costing upwards of $20,000 per dog. This is due to the long period of time necessary to ensure the quality of training these dogs receive. Service Dogs. OUR DOGS Leashes of Valor provides meticulously trained service dogs to Veterans suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Every one of our dogs receives 100+ hours of training and months of public socialization, obedience and task training. In addition, each must pass their public access testing and the industry leading Canine Good Citizen Test. We take great pride in the quality of training that our service dogs receive and take great care in ensuring each is accurately paired with the Warrior who is their perfect match. Every one of our dogs is highly qualified to provide the practical physical and emotional support needed to empower their Warrior with greater independence. Training. WARRIOR TRAINING Once a Warrior and dog have been matched, their first step together on this journey is a 16-day in-house training program on our farm in Virginia. During this time, they will receive 120 hours of hands-on training with professional canine and warrior trainers. They will also participate in practical and theoretical seminars and receive basic service dog equipment, veterinary care, meals and housing at no cost. All of this is made possible because of the generous support of our donors. OUR PHILOSOPHY Leashes of Valors' philosophy is to pair each Warrior with a top quality trained service dog and ensure their public access training is achieved. We ensure the Warrior is in an environment that fosters the opportunity to be part of the solution to their recovery. Matt Masingill, K9 Director at Leashes of Valor, heads up our kennel and leads all of training and trainers. Matt is a 21-year veteran of the United States Navy and a graduate of the Carson Long Military Academy. Our facility is located on 20 acres and the planned kennel will house between 18-25 rescued shelter dogs while they go through their rigorous service dog training. Once these brave dogs are paired with their warrior, they stay with their warrior tethered for the entire 16 days of training. This allows for the warrior and their new service dog to strengthen their bond. Our organization upholds the highest quality of service dog training and overall canine care. We invest in continued education for our canine and Warrior trainers. We ensure our LOV team provide our Warriors with customized training tools that cater to each individual service canine's needs, as these Warriors lives may depend on it.​

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-FOURTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Veterans PTSD – The Cannabis Cure. Marijuana Use for PTSD Among Veterans The use of Marijuana for medical conditions is an issue of growing concern. Many Veterans use marijuana to reduce symptoms of PTSD, and many states specifically approve medical marijuana for PTSD. However, research has not been conducted on the safety or effectiveness of medical marijuana for PTSD. There is no evidence currently that suggests marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD. This research indicates that marijuana can be harmful to individuals with PTSD. Epidemiology Marijuana use has increased over the past decade. In 2013, a study found that 19.8 million people reported using marijuana in the past month, with 8.1 million using it almost every day (1). Daily use has increased by 60% in the prior decade (1). Several factors are connected with increased risk of marijuana use, involving diagnosis of PTSD (2), social anxiety disorder (3), other substance use, mainly through youth (4), and peer substance abuse (5). Cannabis Use Disorders among Veterans Using VA Health Care There have currently been no studies of marijuana use conducted on the overall Veteran population. The data we have gathered comes from Veterans using VA health care, who may not represent the Veteran population overall. When considering this subset of veterans seen in the VA health care with co-existent of substance use disorders (SUD) and PTSD, cannabis use disorder has been the most diagnosed SUD since 2009. Veterans in the VA with PTSD and SUD diagnosed with cannabis use disorder increased from 13.0% in FY 2002 to 22.7% in FY 2014. As of FY 2014, more than 40,000 Veterans with PTSD and SUD are seen in VA diagnosed with cannabis use disorder. People in 33 States can use medical Marijuana. Why Haven't Veterans Been able to Use It for PTSD? Dogs have been prescribed medical marijuana, but veterans still cannot get the drug from the Veterans Affairs. Several Veterans groups are working on getting medical marijuana approved as a form of treatment for PTSD. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) still refuses to provide marijuana to veterans because it is listed as a Schedule I drug. Many Veterans groups want to get that designation changed and have more research conducted on the benefits of medical marijuana. Doug Distaso served his nation in the United States Air Force for 21 years. He had the opportunity to command joint aviation, maintenance, and support personnel globally and served as the primary legislative affairs lead for two U.S. Special Operations Command leaders. However, after an Air Force plane accident left Distaso with a traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and chronic pain, he was given more than a dozen prescription medications by doctors at the VA. "I was taking everything from opioids, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and sleeping pills," Distaso stated. "Like countless other veterans, the cocktail of drugs that I was prescribed quickly threw my life into a turmoil, affecting my ability to perform at work, while straining my relationships at home." Distaso states that living his life in a prescription drug-induced, zombie-like state left his wife and family begging with him on Christmas morning to come back to them. "What brought me back to my family and career was medical cannabis. Cannabis helped me get off the pills and regain control of every facet of my life," Distaso said. Unfortunately, for millions of veterans who depend solely on their VA healthcare benefits, federal law ties their VA doctors' hands. It harshly denies these veterans access to needed medical cannabis as a treatment option. Distaso currently works for his fellow veterans as the Veterans Cannabis Project founder, which advocates for veterans' cannabis access, education to policymakers, and support for veterans seeking treatment options beyond the opiates and other prescriptive and addictive drugs they obtain from the VA. It is time for Congress to approve the VA to research the effects of cannabis on familiar veterans' health issues and allow doctors at the VA to recommend and assist veterans in accessing medical cannabis. The VA denial of cannabis Cannabis use is still branded as harmful to veterans on the VA's website. "Cannabis use for medical disorders is an issue of growing concern," the VA states. Cannabis also remains on the Schedule I list under the Controlled Substances Act, the same as heroin. According to the VA website, "measured studies have not been fully conducted to evaluate the safety or effectiveness of medical marijuana for PTSD. Thus, no proper evidence that marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD has been collected." Conversely, the tide has turned nationally in terms of the attitude toward marijuana, especially for medicinal purposes. Despite the unattainability of medicinal marijuana at the VA, veterans nationally are using cannabis to deal with their PTSD symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. Recent scientific studies are showing the medicinal properties of cannabis. The VA website downplays the approval of marijuana in the United States, stating that "several" states have accepted the use of medical marijuana and/or recreational marijuana. In all actuality, it's far more than "several." Thirty-three states have enacted medical marijuana laws that allow eligible people to obtain or grow cannabis to treat various conditions. Additionally, 15 states have decriminalized marijuana, and 11 states have legalized recreational marijuana. A recent poll conducted at Politico and Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that Americans feel that marijuana is much less harmful than alcohol, tobacco, or e-cigarettes. In the survey, one in five Americans state they believe marijuana is very harmful to people. Twice as many stated the same about alcohol, 52 percent characterized e-cigarettes as very toxic, and 80 percent indicated tobacco cigarettes are hazardous. And more than six in ten U.S. adults said they favor changing federal law to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Another recent survey shows strong majority support among Americans for legalizing marijuana. Also, almost all Democratic presidential candidates agree to remove marijuana from the federal list of controlled substances. And veterans and the American public overwhelmingly support medicinal cannabis for veterans. In the 2017 American Legion survey, 92 percent of veterans said they supported research into the use of medical cannabis, and 83 percent support legalizing medical cannabis. A new study on PTSD and cannabis A new study concludes that cannabis may already be helping Canadians cope with depression and suicide in people suffering from PTSD. This study was conducted on more than 24,000 Canadians, which concluded that people experiencing PTSD and not medicating with cannabis are far more likely to suffer from severe depression and have suicidal thoughts than those who used cannabis over the past year. The study provides initial evidence that cannabis use may contribute to decreasing the connection between PTSD, severe depressive, and suicidal states. This research states that there are limited treatment options for PTSD, so many patients have acted by medicating with cannabis to alleviate their symptoms. However, this is the first time that outcomes from a nationwide survey have exposed the potential benefits of treating the disorder with cannabis. This research documented the first relationships between PTSD, cannabis use, and severe mental health outcomes in the veteran population. The big question is: If a Canadian health survey looked at PTSD and cannabis with such a convincing conclusion, where is the VA on this issue, which affects as many as thirty percent of the American veterans who served in the wars since September 2001? Veterans group supports medical cannabis While the VA still stands on the statement that it is not allowed to do research; however, this is not actually true. They just have to coordinate with outside agencies to conduct it. Only one-third of veterans mentioned cannabis to their doctor because of the stigma attached to marijuana use. Veterans have a legitimate fear of reprisals at VA and in the workforce, where there have been programs that they can lose their jobs for testing positive for marijuana. We have found that in different parts of the country where the use of cannabis is less stigmatized open conversation can be conducted with the VA physicians. However, in parts of the country where it is still illegal, providers are more skeptical or judgmental. It shuts the veteran up and is then dangerous as the veterans do not communicate openly with their provider. Why the VA will not budge The biggest hurdle for veterans seeking cannabis from the VA is that it is still on that Schedule I list of controlled substances at the federal level. This means that cannabis "no acceptable medical use and has a more significant potential for abuse and risk for arrest," as identified by the federal government. The VA considers any form of marijuana illegal. This means veterans cannot get help accessing medical marijuana from their VA doctors, relying on their own means to obtain any. The recent congressional hearing explored bills that would allow for extended access to medical marijuana for veterans. VA representatives confirmed their position opposing any policies as long as marijuana remained illegal at the federal level. Many agencies are "committed to improving treatment options for veterans and supports research into potential treatment options that may prove valuable." Specific federal law restricts the VA's research with Schedule I controlled substances, including marijuana. Before conducting any VA research using a Schedule, I controlled substance would involve lengthy communications and coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Health and Human Services. Particular requirements include reviewing an investigational new drug application and approval of the research protocol by the FD, obtaining the medical drug through NIDA and the nationally approved medical marijuana production laboratory, and an investigator registration and site licensure by the DEA. These restrictions that are contained in federal law are clear. Research is allowed but must be done with the identified federal entities. If Congress wants more federal research into Schedule I controlled substances such as marijuana, it can eliminate these restrictions. Multiple sources explain that Congress and the President can reschedule marijuana to make it accessible to veterans and make it researchable by the VA. Former VA secretary wants more research The Former VA secretary says that the VA should study cannabis. "It is a little bit strange that marijuana is Schedule I while cocaine is Schedule II," stated the former VA secretary. "To say there is completely no medicinal value or application in cannabinoids is not true at all." "There is already an FDA-approved drug on the market, which is a cannabinoid, to treat pediatric epilepsy." The FDA approved Epidiolex in June 2018; the first drug derived in the U.S. from the cannabis plant to reach local pharmacies. He added that when he ran the VA, he was told the agency could not discuss cannabis with veterans and could not do research. But he discovered later that this was not true. "We can talk to our veterans about it. We just cannot prescribe the cannabis," says the former VA Secretary. "It is possible to do research at the VA, but the barriers and bureaucracy are lengthy and painful. I can now more effectively articulate that Congress is the most likely player to streamline this research. And yes, it needs to be done." Medical marijuana research The Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) is the nation's oldest research center for the safety and efficacy of cannabis. CMCR recently announced research to explore the effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis as an alternative treatment for schizophrenia, insomnia, alcohol dependence, rheumatoid arthritis, and anxiety linked to anorexia. Research done by the CMCR has also shown that cannabis can be useful for relieving pain, but research has not been conducted for studying cannabis concerning PTSD. This center is directly linked to the VA's regional office located in San Diego. The legislation is not moving Certain Congress members have tried to push for new legislation to make medical marijuana available to veterans at the VA without success. Here are a few bills that have not made any progress: 1) The Veterans Equal Access Act allows the VA health providers to recommend medical marijuana to their veteran patients and provide the required paperwork to enroll in state marijuana programs. 2) The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2018 supports the scientific and medical research of medicinal cannabis for veterans diagnosed with TBI, PTSD, chronic pain, and other injuries by clarifying that research of medicinal cannabis is within the authority of the VA. 3) The Veterans Medical Marijuana, Safe Harbor Act is an act that would enable VA physicians to issue medical cannabis recommendations under the laws of states where medical cannabis is legal. 4) The Safe Harbor Act would require the VA to conduct studies on the effects of medical marijuana on veterans in pain related to their treatment programs involving medical marijuana approved by states, veterans' access to these programs, and a reduction in veteran opioid abuse. OK, for dogs but not veterans? It is ridiculous that Americans in most states now have access to medicinal marijuana, but America's veterans do not. I have a non-veteran friend, and he receives medical marijuana for his dog's anxiety. He was shocked when he discovered that dogs could get medicinal marijuana, but veterans cannot get the same treatment at the VA. Washington, D.C. is an echo chamber of circular logic. We are convinced there is a national craving for this issue on medical cannabis for veterans. Still, politicians only seem to hear themselves and continue to assume that there is not. We must change this view and make it known. Cannabis May Help Veterans With PTSD After 17 years in the military and deploying to almost every terrorist filled location on Earth, former Green Beret Adam Smith discovered that while his combat battles had ended, his personal one still lingered. "I had a hard time with anxiety, sleeping, hyper-vigilance, and symptoms that revolve around PTSD," Smith, remembering his difficult transition to civilian life, starting in 2015. "I found myself hopeless and in an awful place," said Smith, who also suffers from the effects of several past brain injuries. "The bottom of this black hole was me sitting on a couch with a pistol in my mouth." Thankfully, Smith did not go through with it and said that in the years since, what's helped sustain him is the lessened joint pain, better sleep, and moderated his constant sensation of always feeling "switched-on," has been … self-medicating with cannabis. Smith is just the kind of veteran lawmaker that is trying to help with two U.S. House bills that approved at the House Committee of Veterans Affairs on March 12: H.R. 712, the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019, directing the Veterans Administration to research marijuana's impact on physical conditions related to active duty. H.R. 1647, the Veterans Equal Access Act of 2019, allows physicians to complete state-legal medical marijuana proposal paperwork due to VA doctors currently being prohibited from doing this, forcing veterans to turn to private-network physicians. Irritatingly Smith states, "When it comes to veterans and veterans' rights, the game of politics should not exist." Smith has publicly talked about his avoidance of Veterans Administration treatment because of its chosen response to suffering veterans. That response includes treating veterans' symptoms with anxiety meds, sleeping pills, and high blood pressure meds and does not necessarily treat the total patient. Smith finally realized in 2015 when he tried marijuana for the first time, alongside a military buddy who said marijuana had sharply reduced his seizures and improved his sleep. This may not display hard evidence to support cannabis as a solution for PTSD; many veterans swear by it. Post-traumatic stress is no joke; Post-traumatic stress is something that's hitting our community in an epidemic. The social answer to deal with the trauma is to drink and drug our way into distraction or sedation, so we do not have to feel the pain anymore. That should not be the methodology." Many Americans agree. A recent poll of 5,369 U.S. adults found support for CBD treatment, with 53 percent of those polled agreeing that medical dispensaries should be considered an "essential service." What seems here like a cultural shift may have as much to do with the current anxiety engendered by the coronavirus crisis (which has spiked cannabis sales) as it does the different sort of pain veterans and first responders experience. Marijuana is a top treatment for veterans' pain, PTSD, but the cost is a barrier According to recent survey data, military veterans are using cannabis to treat chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression, among other ailments. But the cost of medical marijuana is a barrier since it is not covered by insurance, even though veterans are using cannabis as an alternative to pharmaceuticals. Final results from the 2019 Veterans Health and Medical Cannabis Study, which looked at 201 veterans in Massachusetts and 565 respondents nationwide, were presented at the Cannabis Advancement Series. The study, which was performed March 3 through Dec. 31, was conducted by Marion McNabb, Steven White, Stephen Mandile, and Ann Brum. Over half of the 201 Massachusetts veterans who completed the survey through outreach by veterans' groups, marijuana dispensaries, and social media sites were age 50 or older. Most, 54 percent had served in the Army. The sample was overwhelmingly male, 90 percent and 84 percent were white, non-Hispanic. Chronic pain, anxiety, and PTSD are the top medical conditions facing veterans. Nearly one in three, 30 percent, of the veteran participants, were currently or homeless in the past. Ninety-one percent of participants reported using medical marijuana. Recreational marijuana was used by 59 percent. Results from 2019 Veterans Health and Medical Cannabis Study Top health conditions Massachusetts veterans are facing As reported by 201 Massachusetts survey participants in the 2019 Veterans Health and Medical Cannabis Study 37% Chronic pain 25% PTSD 10% Anxiety Primary health conditions Massachusetts veterans find cannabis most helpful for treating 36% Chronic pain 24% PTSD 11% Anxiety 6% Depression Top barriers to accessing cannabis reported by Massachusetts veterans 55% Money to purchase prod money 37% Money required to get a medical card 33% Access to the right products 33% Stigma 26% Owning a firearm 21% Workplace testing or other policies Massachusetts veterans report cannabis allows them to: 89% Experience a much better quality of life 79% Experience much less psychological symptoms 69% Experience much less physical symptoms 44% Use alcohol much less now 40% Use prior medication (non-opioid) much less now 23% Use tobacco much less now 22% Use opioids much less now Many veterans responded to the survey reporting that cannabis provided relief for their primary medical troubles, and 77% said that they were actively trying to reduce the use of their over-the-counter or prescription medications with medical cannabis. The top symptoms being treated with medical cannabis included: pain, 51 percent; sleep problems, 50 percent; depression or mood, 45 percent; anxiety or panic attacks, 41 percent; and aggression, 24 percent. "It surprised me, but it is not that surprising," McNabb stated. "They are consumers of medical cannabis. They are finding relief in medical cannabis." The survey's findings brought additional attention to previously published research on medical marijuana by Staci Gruber. Gruber stated that almost all research on the impact of cannabis on the brain and cognitive functioning comes from recreational users, most of whom began using the drug as teenagers while their brains were still developing. Studies conducted by Gruber have found that after three months of treatment, medical marijuana patients demonstrated an improvement in task performance accompanied by changes in brain activation patterns measured in imaging. Further, after treatment, brain activation patterns appeared more similar to those in healthy controls, who weren't using marijuana than pretreatment with medical marijuana. Gruber said her research suggested that medical marijuana use may affect the brain differently compared to the brain impacts among recreational marijuana users. Consistent with the veterans' survey, Gruber's study also found medical marijuana patients reported improvements in how they felt and notably decreased their use of prescription drugs, predominantly opioid and benzodiazepines, after three months of treatment. Mandile became an advocate for medical marijuana after being seriously wounded in Iraq while deployed in 2005. His Veterans Affairs doctors put him on 57 medications, which included nine opioids. In 2013 he attempted suicide. In 2014, his wife's ultimate goal for Mandile was to wean himself from prescription drugs by using marijuana, which he accomplished in only five months. He formed a nonprofit organization called the Alternative Treatment for Veterans to advance awareness of medical marijuana and work with dispensaries to offer discounts to veterans who have been rated 100 percent disabled by the VA. The product 11 marijuana dispensaries across the state have picked up the product discounts testified on proposed legislation, H. 4274, that would allow veterans to use their VA paperwork to qualify for a medical marijuana card instead of paying hundreds of dollars for the state-required card. The 2017 state law legalizing the adult-use of marijuana called for the Cannabis Advisory Board to make recommendations to the Cannabis Control Commission on related costs associated with the purchase of medical marijuana by U.S. military veterans insured through the VA, and to make recommendations on improving cost-effective access. But the study and recommendations were never made by the Sept. 2018 deadline, Mandile said. "As much as legislators can feel the connection with anecdotal stories," Mandile said, "they needed something more concrete, more data-driven." This data found Massachusetts veterans spending an average of $79 a week on cannabis. Nearly three-quarters, 72 percent, purchase cannabis from regulated dispensaries, while one out of five, 19 percent, grow their money The money to purchase marijuana products and get a medical marijuana card was the top two topics reported in the veterans' survey. DAV - The Cannabis Cure DAV requests more research on medical cannabis as an alternative treatment for veterans with chronic pain, PTSD, and TBIs Like many veterans, military service rigors have taken a toll on Air Force veteran Jarid Watson's body. He is not sure when the injury occurred—perhaps during the 12 years of physical training or while loading and unloading cargo planes—but at some point, the ball joint of his hip tore his labrum and damaged the surrounding cartilage. The injury brought on Watson's chronic pain and eventually led to his medical retirement in 2016. It also severely affected his sleep, which negatively influenced his motivation and mood. As a father, husband, student, and entrepreneur, something had to be done to fight this pain and restore being able to achieve a good night's rest to restore himself, his family, career, and studies. For Watson, there was only one choice. "As soon as I knew my military career was ending and dealing with this chronic pain was in my future, I considered medical cannabis as an option because I'm not going to take pain pills and potentially get addicted.' Watson's reluctance toward pain pills stems from his personal experience. As a native of northeast Ohio, the Afghanistan War veteran lost two close friends to opioid overdoses and has witnessed how addiction can destroy individuals and their families. "That area has been devastated with opiate and heroin use. That is tearing families apart in this country. It is killing people," Watson said. The National Center for Health Statistics released a report in 2017 stating that there was a national opioid crisis killing more than 42,000 Americans in 2016. Alarmingly, a 2013 analysis by the Center for Investigative Reporting found that opioid prescriptions for veterans spiked 270 percent over 12 years, while a 2011 Department of Veterans Affairs study found that veterans were twice as likely to die as compared to the rest of the population from an opioid overdose. The VA also estimates that 68,000 veterans, 13 % of the total veteran population currently taking opioids, have an opioid-use disorder. According to VA officials, doctors continue to prescribe them for chronic pain, a condition that 60 percent of veterans sustained from deployments to the Middle East and 50 percent of older veterans. "Sixty percent of what the VA treats falls into the category of chronic pain, and the VA system is not designed to do much more than push pills, and those pills are not working," said Nick Etten, founder and executive director of Veterans Cannabis Project. The story of Air Force veterans Jarid and Priscilla Watson helps display the effectiveness of medical cannabis. Jarid uses medical cannabis to help treat his chronic hip pain rather than using opioids pharmaceuticals, which he feels are dangerous. "He's much happier, more productive, and more motivated in his everyday life," said Priscilla, noting the difference. Etten, a former Navy SEAL, also noted that medicinal cannabis is an effective treatment for the wounds he sustained in the Middle East—PTSD and TBI. He named pain, sleep, and anxiety as the primary symptoms veterans deal with concerning their service-connected injuries. "Cannabis is proving to be safe and effective in treating my injuries," he said. "That's where it can be transformative and a potential game-changer." "Before cannabis, he was constantly complaining about how tense he was and how much pain he had," said Watson's wife, Priscilla. "His pain would keep him up all night, so he would be exhausted, tired, and need naps throughout the next day. But now, he sleeps all night and is not in pain anymore." As an Air Force veteran and nutritional therapist herself, Priscilla feels cannabis is a more natural and safer alternative to attending to his pain than opioid pharmaceuticals, noting the disparity between what she calls "the obsolete argument that marijuana is dangerous." "He is happier, more productive, and more motivated," she added. "So, it has changed his quality of life greatly." Medical cannabis's benefits associate with its responsible use, including refraining from driving while under the influence and ensuring that proper dosage is administered. "As someone with a nutrition background, I do not let Jarid smoke it because I do not like having to deal with the damaging effects of the smoke in the lungs," she said. "He uses cannabis in the form of edibles, which I think is a lot safer, and tends to produce a more positive effect." While the VA cannot deny any veterans benefits due to medical marijuana use, the VA providers cannot recommend or prescribe any form of cannabis since the Food and Drug Administration still classifies it as a Schedule I drug. Instead, Veterans must pay out of pocket for an annual physician's evaluation and medical cannabis cards in one of 30 states, which have legalized medical marijuana. Participation in any state marijuana program does not affect a veteran's eligibility for VA care and services. VA providers can discuss cannabis use with veteran patients and adjust care and treatment plans as needed. However, Etten adds that the federal classification of cannabis leaves many veterans in limbo. While some can afford to pay the out-of-pocket costs, many others cannot and must rely solely on the VA for health care. Until cannabis has been removed from the Schedule I list and elevated from a health policy issue where it can be treated as a medical treatment, we will be stuck in this legal gray zone where we are currently located. However, the federal government maintains that more research into the efficacy of medical marijuana needs to be conducted before it is declassified and made available to service-connected disabled veterans through the VA. DAV Resolution #23 supports additional research in the use of medical cannabis, noting the DAV's call for more research—rather than just legalization—requiring the need to know more about both the potential benefits and risks associated with medical marijuana. As veterans, we do not want to prescribe a new form of treatment without research showing it is safe and effective. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2018 promotes the scientific and medical research into the safety and efficiency of medicinal cannabis usage on veterans diagnosed with PTSD, TBI, chronic pain, and other injuries by clarifying that research medicinal cannabis is well under the authority of the VA. "We have heard of veterans who use cannabis medicinally to cope with physical and mental injuries sustained from active service for our country," said Walz. "Twenty-two percent report using cannabis as a safer and more effective alternative to opioids and drug cocktails currently prescribed by VA for the medical conditions such as PTSD or chronic pain." "As a physician, I am acutely aware of the need to look for opioid alternatives to treat patients' chronic pain," said Roe. "I've heard from many veterans who suffer from physical and invisible wounds and believe medical cannabis could benefit them." The Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act (S. 3409) would also empower VA physicians to issue medical cannabis recommendations under states' laws where it is legal. This legislation would also force the VA to conduct studies on "the effects of medical marijuana on veterans in PTSD and pain" and "the relationship between treatment programs involving medical marijuana that are approved by States and a reduction in opioid abuse among veterans." In 2014 a study by the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered that medical marijuana laws had a twenty-five percent lower average annual opioid overdose death rate than states without such laws. "If veterans can ease some of their chronic pain, symptoms of injuries they have received from serving their country without turning to opioids, the VA has a responsibility to research it," said Sen. Jon Tester. Despite the criticisms of medical cannabis use, as it becomes gradually accepted, no other demographic stands to benefit more from its use and legality as America's veterans. "I was tentative at first to be open about it because of the stigma that is still associated with cannabis," said Watson. "However, ultimately, you finally realize how much it helps, and you feel guilty for not sharing that information with everyone else." Veterans organizations like DAV are precisely what medical cannabis users need to advocate for making medical cannabis an available alternative for veterans everywhere. References: Bonn-Miller, M. & Rousseau, G. (2015). Marijuana Use and PTSD Among Veterans. Department of Veteran Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/marijuana_ptsd_vets.asp Hunter, T. (2018). A Cannabis Cure. Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Retrieved from by https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2018/the-cannabis-cure/ Oleck, J. (2020). Cannabis May Help Veterans With PTSD. And Lawmakers May Be Acknowledging That. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanoleck/2020/03/30/cannabis-may-help-veterans-with-ptsd-and-lawmakers-may-be-acknowledging-that/?sh=79ecf8315fe6 Reno, J. (2019). People in 33 States Can Use Medical Marijuana. Why Can't Veterans Get It for PTSD? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-are-veterans-still-being-denied-cannabis-for-ptsd-treatment Spenser, S. (2020). Marijuana is a top treatment for veterans' pain, PTSD, but the cost is a barrier. The Metro West Daily News. Retrieved from https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20200204/marijuana-is-top-treatment-for-veterans-pain-ptsd-but-cost-is-barrier

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-THIRD EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Veterans and Hobbies. A hobby is defined as: "any activity is done regularly by a person for leisure or pleasure." Finding pleasure in your day-to-day life is essential for everyone, but hobbies are not just a space-filler for empty gaps in your schedule. They are often the things we enjoy the most in this world and give meaning to our lives. Transitioning from a high-stressful and physical job like the military and going into civilian life is already challenging enough. Often, veterans are struggling with PTSD, mental illness, or physical disability. Hobbies can be the distinct difference between being depressed and unmotivated to giving purpose and satisfaction. In many cases, they are even the difference between life and death. Here are 20 great hobbies for military veterans: Fishing If you love to be outdoors, fishing could be the perfect hobby! It is also something that can be done virtually anywhere. If there is a body of water, most likely, you can fish in it. You can start with a cheap rod and tackle, some advice from your local sportsman's shop, and a fair deal of patience. Then progress from there as you learn. Most states even provide discounts for fishing licenses. Camping or Hiking Here is one for outdoor enthusiasts. Luckily, this hobby can be done as mild or extreme as you want, depending on how far you want it to go. This is a way to enjoy places away from everything and disconnect from modern technologies. It gets people outdoors into nature while presenting opportunities of being in the water, in a tent, and exploring the natural world in many different ways. Outdoor enthusiasts can find excitement, while people who have never tried it may enjoy it, too. Hiking and hunting can all be ways to enjoy being with friends and family to go exploring on excursions or solo treks. Set up a camping trip with friends and see how it goes. Woodworking Woodworking can be as simple as working a pocket knife from a stick. It can also be as complicated as creating a pristine bowl from a tree burl. There are a million little projects in between. It is working with your hands; like so many vets are used to creating something extraordinary from raw materials. Work with your Hands and Doing Creative Art While woodworking may be a form of art, it may not work for you. Veterans often battle with mental and physical challenges. To help get past this obstacle, be creative, and try working with hands. Art is an over-arching term that can include painting, needlepoint, writing, photography, taxidermy, and even coloring. Yes, they make coloring books for adults. They are pretty popular, too. It is expressive to think about patterns, create something, and bring it to realization. Pottery work is popular also. Glass blowing is an opportunity to create beautiful pieces, learn something new, and connect with others.   Poetry, reading aloud, or doing story slams are currently popular, where people share stories from their journeys. They nurture the story, share it, and find some peace knowing that sharing a part of themselves may help others while helping themselves. Art therapy is a therapeutic experience that uses art to help heal people. All these art forms and types of handiwork can be healing. Art therapy is a real thing! Overall, art just makes everyone feel better! It gets you into "The Zone," a state of mind that is proven to make our brains feel healthier and happier. Do not be discouraged if you think you are a terrible artist. The point of doing it is to experience it! You do not have to be good. Being an artist is not something you are either born with. You have to practice! Give it a try; see what you think. Brewing beer Like beer? Are you interested in learning how to make your own? Double-check. Brewing could be a hobby for you! When talking about military veterans' hobbies, this one comes up pretty often; I do not know if it is because soldiers just love beer. In any case, it is a great way to learn a new skill that can maybe save or make you money down the road. If that does not pan out, well, you still get to drink the beer. Weightlifting or CrossFit Military veterans are always looking for ways to stay fit after service, and there is already a considerable percentage who have taken up lifting. Weightlifting or CrossFit is a fantastic sport to increase your health while also increasing your confidence and improving your appearance. 7. Running Exercise is an excellent means of stress relief. Running with feet pounding on the ground helps people get out their repressed emotions. Create a goal to train with someone for a 5K run or maybe another similar goal. Fitness has positive effects like bringing down blood pressure, leveling out blood sugar, and keeping stress under control. Many veterans usually run on their own but meet with others who share their goals and make it their new hobby. Yoga Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years for its physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. Military veterans can use yoga as an excellent tool to cope with PTSD in both psychological and physical improvements. Yoga has been deemed as one of the most popular hobbies used by many different foundations and programs to help veterans deal with a wide array of problems. Stress resilience and mental resilience are essential things that yoga teaches that military veterans will find great use in. Playing an Instrument and Music If you have not learned an instrument by now, you may feel like you have missed your opportunity, but you are wrong. It is never too late to learn how to play an instrument! While it is true that children usually pick up new skills more effortlessly, you can still become an expert guitarist at age 30, 40, 50, 60, and beyond. Learning to play an instrument is a stress-reliever, confidence-builder, and is just plain cool. Even the simplest of instruments, a hand drum, is accessible for veterans who are not very musically inclined. Drum circles and therapeutic drumming are great ways to enjoy this type of musical experience. Piano and other instruments can help relieve stress and build confidence as well. This also provides an expressive outlet for veterans who struggle with sharing their experiences. Reading Reading is a quiet activity, which is excellent for people with loud, active, and busy lives. Not only does it train your brain to think quicker and retain more information, but it helps transport you into an entirely different and new world. Whether your interest is sci-fi, romance, or history, everyone has something to gain from reading. Quad or RC car racing For those of you who are adrenaline junkies and want to get physical: Try quad racing. It is fast-paced, invigorating, and can help you get that competitive edge back. For those who are not as physically active, you can still race; but RC (radio-controlled) car racing lets you participate from a distance. To start quad racing, you should join the nearest All-Terrain Vehicle Association or ATVA; that will allow you to race in any ATVA sanctioned quad races and give you a good feel for the sport. Water sports (If your weather allows) Jet skiing can be expensive for the initial cost, but then you are just paying gas. It's a lot of fun! Additional water sports like sailing, spear-fishing, scuba diving, paddle-boarding, kayaking, and kite are a lot of fun too. Surfing is another sport also. The ocean can be used as a perfect healing remedy. Surfing is an excellent therapeutic way to promote mental and physical wellness. Several foundations use surfing as a way to help improve veteran's well-being. Golf Golf may not seem like it would alleviate stress for some by trying to hit a little ball into a little hole over 500 yards away. However, If you change your perspective; You are outdoors, getting exercise on some of the most beautiful terrain, drinking what? Your favorite alcoholic beverage while you are playing! (please be responsible). Additionally, the more you play, the better you get! Fishing Many people enjoy the outdoors! Some enthusiasts love to sit on the water without any outside noise or contact. It is actually very serene! One of the primary triggers for veterans with PTSD, constant stress, and anxiety, can be noise. Places of peace can provide healing with quiet time away from everyday chaos. Fishing is not about the end game. The goal is to find rest and relaxation away from everything. There is also camaraderie if you can find people to go fishing together. Fishing trips at a cabin by the water can be fun while exploring the wilderness. Find what works and give it a try. Gardening Playing in the dirt is fantastic for healing. Emotional and physical challenges cannot stop people from getting into the dirt to plant herbs or flowers. Soil therapy is very underrated as it provides people with treatment without a lot of work. Many community-based planting opportunities offer small gardens and plots to join. A veteran can gain the fruits of their labor by being able to eat the food that they grow. Knowing where the food came from and that a person's hands helped produce it is often therapeutic. The witnessing of growth can be something positive amid a veterans' challenges in recovery. Archery The sport of archery is the perfect way to strengthen both the mind and the body. Archery requires concentration, technique, discipline, focus, and attention, which are skills that military veterans have been trained and are accustomed to. This perfect sport that can make the transition into civilian life more manageable. As your skills improve and you notice your arrows being more consistently accurate, a new sense of fulfillment drives you and your confidence. Shooting The sport of shooting is very therapeutic. Concentrating on the fundamentals of shooting to hit a precise target can be very relaxing, along with taking your mental frustrations out on that target. There are actually health benefits to shooting! Physical Discipline – To be able to control a firearm, it takes a bit of physical strength. Handguns significantly increase arm and wrist strength. When firing a pistol, it is essential to maintain control of the weapon after the recoil and a steady arm to ensure proper aim. Rifle firearms take a different arm and body strength as well as different firing techniques and positioning. Depending on the caliber's size, each requires the right strength and stance for adequate control. Along as stamina develops, better hand and eye coordination will follow with firearm practice. Improves Eyesight – Shooting does not cure your eye problems. However, it can help exercise your eye's full capabilities. Modern technologies like TVs, computers, phones, and tablets, stress our eyes from daily activities. The eyeball uses muscles that automatically adjust to what we are looking at. If our faces are stuck on the screen, we are not using all of the muscles in our eyes. This can ultimately lead to imbalances. While shooting, you are looking downrange at the targets to acquire proper sight alignment with your weapon and the target. This allows your eyes the opportunity to use the different muscles located in your eyes, allowing you to exercise different muscles and help provide balance. Mental Focus – When shooting, it takes a measurable amount of mental focus and discipline to perform well. Depending on what or where you are shooting, you will need to be aware of your surroundings (who is near or around you, and your targets). Additionally, it is essential to learn how to control adrenaline, which can interfere significantly. Military and law enforcement are continually training to maintain full control, especially under high adrenaline settings. They must ensure their abilities in controlling their weapon, ammo consumption, and knowing their target. Many accidental shootings or injuries are due to high adrenaline situations and failure to properly and safely operate their weapon. When at the range and before even getting your weapons out, take in your surroundings. Make a mental note of who is around and what possible distractions could take place. Stress Relief – Many find the discipline and practice of shooting to be a stress reliever. When shooting, it is your time to clear your mind of your problems. Shooting is like your own personal meditation session, where you can focus on yourself and self-improvement. If you suffer from stress, it is time to go shooting and leave your problems at home. Horseback Riding While dogs have been known to be man's best friend, there is another animal in the world who has also been seen by our side than the horse. Equine horse therapy has gained massive popularity with veterans by dealing with their mental health issues like PTSD. Riding horses helps people keep active in an outdoor setting, build core physical strength, and develop deep bonds with beautiful creatures. Equine therapy programs are being promoted worldwide, which is becoming more accessible to veterans everywhere. Cycling Military veterans have often sustained injuries from their military service, and cycling provides benefits for their disabilities or inabilities. There are customized bikes, like tricycles, that are used to participate in races. Cycling is a fantastic way to boost strength, confidence, and reduce vulnerability to stress. Skiing Extreme sports, like skiing, positively use adrenaline to affect negative triggers. Skiing brings an adrenaline rush to the veteran and helps put them in a focused state of mind where they live in that specific moment. Several foundations of programs, like the Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports program, use skiing to help treat symptoms of combat PTSD in military veterans. Finding pleasure in daily life is essential for people to feel and experience validation. Hobbies are not just something to fill time when there is nothing else to do. They can significantly enrich a person's life and bring some joy and peace amidst the challenges. Hobbies are a perfect way to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, leading to an increase in happiness. It is better to mitigate stress whenever and as much as possible. The best hobbies in the world are ones which people can enjoy either alone or with others. References: Indoored.com (2020). Best Sports & Hobbies for Military Veterans. Retrieved from https://indoored.com/sports-hobbies-for-military-veterans/ Lawrence S, De Silva M, Henley R. (2010). Sports and games for post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD007171. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007171.pub2. Ley, Clemens et al. (2018). "In the Sport I Am Here": Therapeutic Processes and Health Effects of Sport and Exercise on PTSD." Qualitative health research vol. 28,3 (2018): 491-507. doi:10.1177/1049732317744533 Leidy, L. (2020). 12 Great Hobbies for Military Veterans. Our Military. Retrieved from https://www.ourmilitary.com/hobbies-for-military-veterans/ Pressman, Sarah D et al. (2009). "Association of enjoyable leisure activities with psychological and physical well-being." Psychosomatic medicine vol. 71,7 (2009): 725-32. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181ad7978 Shooting Range Industries LLC (2020). Shooting Range Therapy; Can Firing a Gun Relieve Stress, Provide Physical Strength Training & More? Retrieved from http://www.shootingrangeindustries.com/shooting-range-therapy-can-firing-a-gun-relieve-stress-provide-physical-strength-training-more/ Strive (2020). Veterans Can Try These 7 Great Hobbies to Release Stress. Retrieved from https://www.strivecares.com/veterans-can-try-these-7-great-hobbies-to-release-stress/

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-SECOND EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Veterans and Dogs. We will also have our UBI and Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff ahead in our program! Many brave soldiers return home with scars – both visible and invisible – that makes it challenging to transition back into civilian life. At the same moment, millions of wonderful companion animals wait in shelters for a forever home. When a Veteran is appropriately matched with the right dog, both of their lives change for the better. The Veteran saves the animal from their demise and welcomes them into a loving home. The pet provides the Veteran with support, unconditional love, relieving stress, depression, loneliness, and anxiety. Here is a very informative article I found on veterans and dogs written by Correll, D. (2020) from the Military Times that might be helpful: While there are multiple options to choose from for treatment, nonprofit organizations like K9s for Warriors and Southeastern Guide Dogs have founded a treatment method that veterans cannot receive directly from the VA, and that is service dogs. These extremely trained animals can perform a range of tasks such as tactile stimulation to help the veteran cope with anxiety or panic attacks or standing directly in front of their handler in a crowd to give the veteran space from other people. The goal is to empower veterans who are living with PTSD. “Dogs will never cure your issues, but they are simply going to be a tool to help them in their recovery with it,” Suzy Wilburn, director of admissions and alumni, support at Southeastern Guide Dogs, told by the Military Times. The VA is currently evaluating whether service dogs can benefit veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Although Congress first mandated a study on the topic in 2010, it has been put on the back burner twice. Most recently, it was relaunched in 2015 and is still being conducted. According to the New York Times, the VA said that in May, it would unveil the study's results in 2020. But K9s for Warriors, who matches post-9/11 veterans with service dogs, has pointed to research Purdue University released in 2018 that found veterans with service dogs experienced lower overall symptoms of PTSD, lower levels of depression, and a more remarkable ability to engage in social activities. Purdue partnered with K9s for Warriors for the study and examined 141 veterans with PTSD: 75 who had graduated from the K9s for Warriors program, and 66 who were on the waitlist. Under current policy, Veterans cannot be matched with a service dog through the VA. But the agency can recommend veterans work with nonprofits that are members of Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation, coalitions that provide accreditation to organizations who train and place service dogs, to start the process of adopting a service dog. Military Times spoke with experts at K9s for Warriors and Southeastern Guide Dogs, accredited organizations with the agencies above, and here's what you need to know. What's the process like? To apply for a service dog, veterans typically must submit documentation that they have been diagnosed with PTSD from their military service, conduct a series of interviews over the phone and/or at home with the service dog providers, undergo criminal background checks, and participate in a training course. Information, including the contact information of the Veteran's current mental health provider, primary care physician, and references, are also commonly requested. “Here at Southeastern Guide Dogs, we have a pretty extensive application process that they go through,” Wilburn said. “What we want to find out is if they're appropriate to have a dog,” Wilburn added. This ensures that Southeastern Guide Dogs knows essential information about the applicant upfront to prevent wasting a veteran's and organization's time if it's not the right match. Approximately 50 percent of the applications that Southeastern Guide Dogs receives are rejected due to various reasons, including criminal background, or if the Veteran is not also receiving treatment from a mental health professional, Wilburn said. “We tend not to place our dogs if there's a tendency toward any kind of violence,” Wilburn said. The organization also conducts an at-home interview to guarantee that the Veteran lives in an environment safe for a dog. During those checks, Wilburn said they figure out what a veteran is looking for in a service dog. That is, do they want a dog that will help them leave the house for the grocery store during the middle of the day or one that will help them cope with flashbacks or nightmares. At that point, Southeastern Guide Dogs determines which dog they've been training is best suited for the Veteran, and then they work with that animal for 12 weeks to customize commands tailored to that specific Veteran. Lastly, veterans are brought to the Southeastern Guide Dogs campus in Palmetto, Fla., for an 11-day training course to instruct them on how to work with their service dog. Altogether, it can take up to two years for Southeastern Guide Dogs to train the service dogs the organization breeds, Wilburn said. Matching a veteran with a dog through Southeastern Guide Dogs takes between six months to one year. K9s for Warriors also has a thorough application process and asks for various information in its 37-page application to service veterans diagnosed with PTSD, a traumatic brain injury, and/or military sexual trauma. “We look at your mobility, we look at your activity level, we look at your home life, we look at the animals that you have in your home, we look at the goals that you have within three to five years,” Mike Drafts, Warrior Relations Manager at K9s for Warriors and a Marine Corps veteran, told Military Times. Like the Southeastern Guide Dogs' application process, veterans must submit documentation from a physician confirming they have service-connected PTSD. K9s for Warriors also conducts criminal background checks and contacts personal references. Likewise, veterans also must submit confirmation that they are physically and mentally able to participate in a 21-day training program where they will go out in public with a service dog. According to Drafts, 85 percent of the dogs K9s for Warriors trains are rescue dogs. The organization has a dedicated procurement team that evaluates dogs in shelters to determine if they have the aptitude and are medically cleared to work as a service animal. If a dog cannot pass the K9s for the Warriors training program, they are then adopted through the organization to help prevent them from ending up in any kill animal shelter. According to Drafts, K9s for Warriors has accepted approximately 360 applications in 2019. Drafts said a “good percentage” of applicants are accepted; however, they noted that failing to meet requirements will disqualify some candidates. Those who are approved won't receive a dog immediately, though. Even after being accepted into the K9s for Warriors program, veterans must be very patient because the organization's waitlist is between 12 to 18 months. The final portion of the matching process requires the veterans to complete 120 hours of training on-site at their headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Fla., where the Veteran is matched up with a fully trained service dog. The training is designed to show the veterans how they can instruct the service dog and work together as a team. Once veterans graduate from programs like Southeastern Guide Dogs and K9s for Warriors, they must cover costs associated with having a service animal. However, veterans who have substantial mobility limitations stemming from a mental health disorder can qualify to receive veterinary benefits for their service dogs, provided the dogs were adopted through an organization Assistance Dogs International or International Guide Dog Federation has accredited. Drafts said approximately 38 graduates from the K9s for Warriors program had received approvals for this benefit this year. Service dog vs. emotional support animal Service dogs and emotional support animals are not the same and do not perform the same functions. Although emotional support animals have attracted media attention in recent years, experts note there are several significant distinctions between the two. “The big difference between a service dog and an emotional support animal is not the dog itself, but the handler,” Rory Diamond, K9s for Warriors CEO, told Military Times. “For a service dog, the handler has a disability, and that dog is trained to help with that disability.” That differs from an emotional support animal that could help anyone “feel better,” regardless of whether the handler has a disability or not, Diamond said. Wilson expressed similar sentiments when asked about emotional support animals. “Although it does the emotional part of it, it is not trained in any specific tasks to do that,” Wilson said. “It is going to sit on your lap and let you pet it and love it, and you are going to feel better about yourself, however, it is not going to help you mitigate anything disability-wise.” Wilburn also pointed out service dogs have public access rights covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which only recognizes dogs and miniature horses as animals specifically trained to perform tasks for those with disabilities. In contrast, emotional support animals do not have public access rights at all. The PAWS Act Groups like K9s for Warriors do not charge veterans going through their program to train and place a service dog. But both chambers of Congress have introduced legislation that would provide veterans a voucher to use to receive a service dog, known as the Puppies Assisting Wounded Service Members Act, or PAWS Act. “The PAWS Act would change VA policy completely,” Diamond said, adding this could allow groups to match more veterans with service dogs. The legislation would instruct the VA to establish a grant program to give veterans with PTSD $25,000 vouchers to adopt a service dog if that organization belongs to the Association of Service Dog Providers for Military Veterans. K9s for Warriors estimates it costs $27,000 to train and place each dog. Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., introduced the measure in the House in June, and Sen. Debbie Fischer, R-Neb., reintroduced it in the upper chamber in November. Previous efforts to pass the legislation have been unsuccessful. For example, it was first introduced in 2016, again in 2017, and most recently in 2019. Even so, the legislation has consistently been referred to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees and hasn't faced a vote. Diamond said that K9s for Warriors will continue working to advance the legislation and will instead invest more energy into the Senate in 2020 to try to ensure the legislation advances this time around. “What you'll see is a big push in the Senate in January...we're going to put all of our efforts into the Senate side since the House seems to want to kill it every year,” Diamond said. Advice for veterans? For veterans starting the process of adopting a service dog, Wilburn and Diamond advised veterans to do their research ahead of time. In particular, Wilburn warned that illegitimate organizations could attempt to target veterans because they may be in a “vulnerable” state. “Although they may not feel that way, there are organizations and scammers out there that know that they're vulnerable and will take advantage of that,” Wilburn said. To safeguard against this, Wilburn said that veterans should head to Assistance Dogs International, which establishes training standards to ensure the dogs “meet the highest standards in the industry,” according to the organization's website. “That's the best place for a service member to start, is to look at these accredited organizations around the country,” Wilburn said. Diamond also recommended that veterans visit the Association of Service Dog Providers for Military Veterans' website to familiarize themselves with various providers that connect veterans with service dogs, what the standards are, and what's expected during the process. Similarly, he recommended that veterans avoid working with organizations that require veterans to pay for the service dogs. “There are lots of groups that are working for free,” Diamond said. For Drafts, he recommended that veterans have ample support from their family to adopt a service dog because it can significantly alter the dynamic between a veteran and their family. “What I mean by support is that this is a lifestyle change like no other, meaning that it is a service dog, and it's almost like you're adding a third person to a relationship,” Drafts said. Drafts pointed out that the service dog is very different from a family pet and said the animal is designed to develop a bond with one person: the Veteran. But no matter what, Drafts said K9s for Warriors wants to be a resource for veterans — even if their organization can't directly assist them. If you need help, let someone know, Drafts said. “It's not just that we're providing service dogs for veterans,” Drafts said. “We're here to help any and every veteran.” According to the VA, veteran suicides increased in 2017, averaging approximately 17 per day. Reducing that number is K9s for Warriors' ultimate mission, and Drafts said that's why they want to help all veterans — period. “We're just here to change lives,” Drafts said. “And that's what we're trying to do.” Hopefully, this article is something that you find informative and intriguing. Animals are very therapeutic in helping Veterans in many different ways. If you feel that a dog could help you, please see your local VA and consult with your mental health professional. They should also be able to guide you in the right direction. If you have any further questions, please let me know. Until next time, take care, be safe, and I will see you next week Reference: Correll, D. (2020). Is adopting a service dog right for you? What veterans diagnosed with PTSD need to know. Military Times. Retrieved from https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2020/01/02/is-adopting-a-service-dog-right-for-you-what-veterans-diagnosed-with-ptsd-need-to-know/  

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-FIRST EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Scams Targeting Veterans. We will also have our Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff ahead in our program! Veterans deserve many things: Praise. Honor. Security. Respect. Here’s what they don’t deserve: attempts to take advantage of their service. Yet every day, scammers attempt to swindle our veterans of their hard-earned benefits, steal their identity, take their life savings, and worse. According to an AARP survey, veterans are twice as likely to fall victim to scams as the population at large. Some scammers offer veterans the opportunity to refinance Veterans Affairs (VA) loans at extremely low rates. Others will pose as government agencies in order to access personal information, or offer lump sum payments up front, in exchange for signing over all their future monthly benefit checks. There have even been instances where scammers will create fake charities that target veterans or pretend to be old friends offering “sure thing” investments. Why are veterans so susceptible to these particular scams? For starters, veterans implicitly trust fellow members of the military, making them vulnerable to imposters claiming to be veterans themselves. Sometimes, because of their military experiences, veterans also find it more difficult to recognize and combat the emotional manipulation used by scam artists. That’s why the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and AARP joined forces to create Operation Protect Veterans, and provide valuable information and resources that veterans, their loved ones, and their friends can use to help protect against scammers. Together, we can fight back and take one small step to repay our veterans for the service they’ve given and the sacrifices they’ve made. Secret Veteran Benefits Scam Veterans are told they qualify for “secret” government programs or benefits that offer thousands of dollars – but first, they attempt to collect personal information or a fee. Fake Charitable Giving Request Scammers make fraudulent claims about charities benefitting wounded service members. Benefits Buyout Offer Scammers take advantage of veterans in need by offering a quick upfront buyout – usually at a fraction of the value – of future disability or pension payments. Veterans Affairs (VA) Loan Scams Scammers offer to refinance Veterans Affairs loans at extremely low rates. Bogus Employment Scam Scammers post fake job descriptions to collect personal information from a veteran’s job application, or they charge an employment fee. Fraudulent Records Offer Scammers try to charge veterans a fee to access military records or government forms—information that is actually available for free through the National Archives (for military records) and VA.gov or local Veterans Affairs offices (for forms). Veteran Affairs (VA) Phishing Scam Scammers pose as Veterans Affairs employees to get access to personal information. Update your File Scam An imposter claiming to be from a government agency attempts to get a veteran’s personal information to “update their file” so they can maintain their benefits. Aid and Attendance Scam Veterans (or their family members) receive an offer to move their assets into a living trust so that they can qualify for financial assisted-living benefits. Veterans Choice Program Scam Scammers set up a phone number nearly identical to the number veterans dial to find out if they are eligible to use approved health care providers outside of the Veterans Affairs system. Veterans call the fake number and a message prompts them to leave their credit card information in return for a rebate. Make sure to dial the correct number for the VCP: 866-606-8198. GI Bill Education Marketing Scam Scammers use deceptive marketing tactics and provide false information to push expensive for-profit educational institutions to veterans seeking to take advantage of the GI Bill for college courses. The Veterans Affairs offers a comparison tool to help you locate a school and determine your benefits. Visitwww.vets.gov/education/gi-bill. Special Deals for Veterans Scam Scammers offer special discounts for veterans on a range of products, like loans and car purchases, but the products aren’t discounted at all, or they don’t actually exist. Rental Scam A scammer posts a fake rental property on a classified ad website offering discounts for active duty military and veterans. Once they have your security deposit, you find out there is no rental property and your money is gone. Romance/”Catfishing” Scam Scammers steal a veteran’s photo and create a phony profile on a dating site to “catfish” singles looking for love. Most Common Scams Targeting Veterans, by State Alaska Credit Card 2. Charity 3. VA Loan/Tech Support Alabama Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. Charity Arkansas Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Arizona Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax California Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Colorado Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Connecticut Credit Card 2. Tech Support/IRS Tax 3. Charity DC Credit Card/IRS Tax 2. VA Loan/Tech Support 3. Phishing/Charity Deleware Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Florida Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Georgia Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Hawaii Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Iowa Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Charity Idaho Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax/Charity Illinois Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Indiana Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Kansas Tech Support 2. Credit Card 3. IRS Tax/Charity Kentucky IRS Tax 2. Credit Card 3. Charity Louisiana Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Massachusetts Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. Charity Maryland Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Maine Credit Card 2. Tech Support/IRS Tax 3. Charity/Other Michigan Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Charity Minnesota Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Missouri Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Mississippi Tech Support 2. Charity/Credit Card 3. IRS Tax Montana Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax North Carolina Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax North Dakota Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. Charity Nebraska Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax/Charity New Hampshire Tech Support 2. Credit Card 3. IRS Tax New Jersey Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax New Mexico Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Nevada Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax New York Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Ohio Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Oklahoma Tech Support 2. Credit Card 3. IRS Tax Oregon Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Pennsylvania Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Puerto Rico Other 2. Phishing/VA Loan 3. Credit Card Rhode Island Credit Card 2. IRS Tax/Charity 3. Tech Support South Carolina Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax South Dakota Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Tennessee Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Texas Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Utah Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. Charity Virginia Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support Vermont Tech Support 2. Credit Card/Charity 3. IRS Tax Washington Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Wisconsin Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax West Virginia Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Wyoming Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Charity/Phishing Unknown Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax Here what you should never do in these situations: Don’t give personal information Don’t give any personal information over the phone. This includes bank account numbers, credit card numbers and your Social Security number. Don’t send money Don’t send/wire money or gift cards to anyone you don’t know well. Don’t feel pressured Don’t be pressured to act immediately. If you are dealing with a legitimate outfit, they won’t try to pressure you to act before having a chance to check it out and think about it. If they do, just say “no” and hang up. These are things you should always do in these situations Consult a friend Check out the offer with a trusted family member, friend or your local veteran’s affairs office before acting. Check the security Verify any charity asking for money before sending it. There are several online services veterans can use, such as the Better Business Bureau, Charity Navigator, CharityWatch and GuideStar. Do your homework Get credible information on how to qualify for veterans’ benefits by contacting your state veterans’ affairs agency. Visit www.nasdva.us, for additional information.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTIETH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss 11 Interesting Facts about Veterans. We will also have our Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff ahead in our program! A big day for all veterans is a day called Veterans Day. What is veteran’s day? Some people do not know (believe it or not). So here you go! Veterans Day (once known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the U.S., observed annually on November 11th to honor military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It coincides with Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which celebrates the ending of World War I. World War I formally came to an end on the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month of 1918 when Armistice with Germany finally went into effect. Armistice Day was renamed to Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day is a distinctly different holiday from Memorial Day, which is celebrated in May. Veterans Day celebrates the service of veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who had died and paid the ultimate sacrifice.   Here are eleven interesting facts about veterans. Beyond everything veterans do to keep our nation safe, they have sacrificed long periods of time away from family and friends. Please remember these facts for this upcoming holiday and share them with friends, family, and anyone who would appreciate this information.   Veterans are individuals who have served in the military (U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard) in war or peacetime.   As of 2019, 12,987 living veterans served all through World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.   Veterans Day is observed on November 11th, the same day that World War I ended. Initially known as Armistice Day before being renamed as Veterans Day in 1954.   Veterans Day pays tribute to all veterans. Memorial Day pays homage to those who lost their lives in combat.   In 2017, there were about 1.9 million female veterans in the U.S.   In 2017, the largest living cohort of male veterans served during the Vietnam War era, while the largest living cohort of female veterans served during the post-9/11 period.   As of 2019, the states with the highest veteran populations are California (1.56 million), Texas (1.46 million), and Florida (1.44 million).   The overall unemployment rate for veterans who served post-9/11 was 3.5% (2018) — the lowest recorded rate since 2008.   As of 2019, 11.7 million veterans are over 65, which is about 61% of all veterans.   Veterans make up roughly 11% of adults experiencing homelessness.   70% of veterans experiencing homelessness also experience substance abuse, and 50% live with mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You are probably wondering why I am sharing these facts with you. Well, we are in the business of helping veterans in our local community. Staying informed and knowledgeable is the best way to help veterans. This information is the beginning step in making us think about what we can do to get out to help our fellow veterans this Veterans Day. What can we do as an organization? What can you do as an individual? It is just a thought that intimately will make us better as a community. Anyway, hopefully, this information was helpful. Some people may call this useless information, while others call it useful. I have another acronym for this type of information; UBI (Useful Bit of Information). Enjoy!

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the NINETEENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Helping Veteran Ideas. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for the program! Hello fellow veterans! I hope everyone is doing well during these challenging times we are in with the COVID-19 quarantine. It seems like we have been experiencing issues for a while now with no light at the end of the tunnel. I guess you can say we are establishing a new normal for our way of life. Who knows!? Anyway, I want to talk about help veterans today! We always discuss this at our meetings, and our primary mission as an organization is to help veterans within our community. I think we do an outstanding job at this! However, what do we do as individuals? If you would like to show some gratitude for the sacrifices made and support veterans, there are many ways to make it happen. Sometimes even a small gesture can have a significant impact. Our veterans have many needs and challenges because of their military service, and they can use support and assistance in various ways that may not always be obvious. It is just a thought, and it does not take much to devote a little time to help a fellow veteran out. Here are some ideas. (NOTE: I realize some of these ideas do not comply with current COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. So please use with caution and be safe). Some of these ideas may have to wait till after all of this COVID-19 stuff calms down. Pick up the tab for a Veteran's coffee or meal. The next time you see a veteran in a restaurant or standing in line for coffee, pick up the tab. You can do so anonymously if you would prefer, but even a quick "thank you for your service" would mean a lot to the veteran. You don't have to limit yourself to dinner or a latte—you could pay for a tank of gas, a prescription, or a cart of groceries. Show you, support Veterans, by Providing Transportation. One way to support veterans in your local area is to provide necessary transportation to get to medical and mental health treatment appointments. The VA has a volunteer transportation network that allows volunteers to donate their time and/or the use of their vehicles for veterans in need. Donated vehicles may also be used or accepted by the program. Visit Wounded Vets in a Nearby VA Facility. Another great way to show that you support veterans is to pay a visit to wounded vets at a VA facility near you. These injured veterans may not have many visitors to brighten their day. Once you find the nearest VA facility, contact the staff, and find out if you can arrange a visit. The staff may be able to identify veterans who would benefit the most from a visit. Say Thank You and Mean It. One of the easiest ways to support veterans is a simple thank you, as long as it is heartfelt and sincere. A simple act of gratitude for everything that the veteran faced and gave up seems like such a small thing, but it is something that American veterans do not hear as often as they should. These two words can brighten even a lousy day for a veteran because you acknowledge their service.In particular, saying, “Welcome home. Thank you for your service” to Vietnam veterans can have a substantial emotional impact on them since Vietnam era veterans did not experience even the lip-service support from American society that today’s veterans receive. Fight Homelessness, Eviction, and Foreclosure among Veterans. If you support veterans, then you realize that many veterans face foreclosure, eviction, and homelessness. You can volunteer with the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, donate your time and effort to Homes for Our Troops, or even provide financial assistance to veteran organizations to prevent the eviction of a military family. Perform Home Repairs or Household Chores for a Veteran in Need. One terrific way to support veterans is to perform home repairs or household chores for a veteran in need. Many veterans in your area may need help with household chores or home repairs because of a disability, a severe injury, or even a lack of financial resources. When you help out in this way, you will gain an incredible sense of satisfaction while helping repay a veteran who deserves it. Donate your Time to a Veteran Organization. There are other ways to support veterans, even if you do not have special skills or a lot of knowledge in-home repair. You can volunteer with a veteran organization and make a difference. These organizations depend on volunteers to keep costs down. Clerical work, answering phones, organizing, and stepping in to help with menial work can make an enormous difference. The National Veteran Foundation welcomes volunteers of all ages and skill levels at our offices in Los Angeles. Replace one light bulb in your home with a green one. The Greenlight a Vet project is a simple way to remind yourself and others about the sacrifice veterans have made for our country and to show your appreciation to them. Simply purchase a green bulb and place it somewhere in your home—a porch lamp is ideal since it's most visible to others. Over 9 million people across the nation have logged their green lights into the project's nationwide map so far. Volunteer your Services to Help Vets in Need. If you do have special skills that you can offer, whether these are IT skills, tax preparation training, or medical training, then you can support veterans by providing your skills free of charge. You will be able to use your knowledge and training to help veterans who need these skills right now and who may have limited financial resources to pay for this type of assistance. Write a letter to thank a veteran. Operation Gratitude is an organization that coordinates care packages, gifts, and letters of thanks to veterans. You can work through them to send your appreciation to a vet or volunteer to help assemble care packages. And, if you still have candy kicking around from Halloween, Operation Gratitude also mails sweets to deployed troops. Spend Time with a Vet and Take the Time to Listen. One way that you can give something back to a veteran who was willing to sacrifice everything is to spend time with them and listen to them. Many veterans end up socially isolated, and this can have a negative effect on their mental and physical health. Get to know veterans in your area and spend time with them so that they have social opportunities and do not end up isolated. Provide Food for Veterans. Many veterans are hungry, and a home-cooked meal will provide them with much-needed nutrition. Even vets that are not lacking food will benefit from a meal or a homemade batch of cookies. It shows them that someone cares. Contact your local church or veteran organization to see who might appreciate your culinary delights. Feed Our Vets is an organization that specializes in feeding hungry veteran families. Get involved with a Veterans assistance program. There are veterans in your community that could use help—but how do you find them? Contact a local veterans assistance program, such as the one offered by DAV. They'll be able to put you in touch with local vets who need help doing chores like yard work, housework, grocery shopping, or running errands. Help Veterans with job training. Adjusting to civilian life after military service isn't always smooth sailing. Hire Heroes helps vets with interview skills, resumes, and training so they can find a post-military career. They even partner with various employers to host a job board. Through Hire Heroes, you can help veterans with mock interviews, career counseling, job searches, workshops, and more. Help build a house for a Veteran. Building Homes for Heroes builds or modifies homes to suit the needs of veterans injured in Iraq or Afghanistan. The houses are given mortgage-free to veterans and their families. You can volunteer your painting, carpentry, plumbing, wiring, and other skilled services—or you can just donate to the cause. Volunteer for an "Operation Reveille" or “Stand Down” event for homeless veterans. The VA continually hosts Operation Reveille or Stand Down, a series of one- to three-day events that give much-needed supplies and services to homeless veterans. Vets can receive everything from food and clothing to health screenings, housing solutions, substance abuse treatment, and mental health counseling. They take place at various places across the nation all year long, so contact the representative in your state about when and how you can volunteer. Visit a Vet with your Pet. It is a well-known fact that animals provide emotional and physical benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Animal-assisted therapy can significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue in people with a range of health problems.” Dogs are the most commonly used for therapy and service dogs. A well-behaved dog can receive certification and be able to bring some affection and calmness into a vet’s life. Send a care package. In addition to helping people send care packages to active duty members, Operation Gratitude’s “Welcome Home Heroes” initiative sends care packages to veterans. “Just as with our care packages to deployed troops, we want to put a smile on the face of every veteran who courageously served our nation,” says Operation Gratitude’s founder Carolyn Blashek on the organization’s website. Veteran care packages can include many of the items sent to active-duty troops, including personal letters of thanks, snacks, books, magazines, and hygiene items. So, this list is not inclusive by any means. Please add to it and be creative in your ways to give back to Veterans in our community. They will appreciate it, just as you did when you received something in the past. Believe it or not, it is also just as therapeutic for you to help and give to other veterans.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the EIGHTEENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we have some special guests who are visiting today to discuss MVP (Merging Vets and Players)! So stick around for some really exciting stuff. History of MVP:  Jay Glazer has spent years working with warriors from the ring and the gridiron, many of these men and women have also struggled to apply their skills beyond their field of battle. As part-owner of Unbreakable Performance Center he dedicates time to train elite athletes from all sports in addition to hosting Bellator MMA fights on Paramount Network and various shows for NFL on FOX. Nate Boyer is a U.S. Army Green Beret Veteran and former NFL athlete who played with the Seattle Seahawks. Living both lives as a veteran and former professional athlete, he brings years of paralleled experience of our members of the loss of identity, purpose, and community. He also hosts Indivisible, a documentary series highlight the communities in football cities. MVP was created to leverage Jay and Nate’s unique role at the crossroads of all of these warriors. By merging veterans with players, these warriors can benefit from each other's strengths, experience and abilities to unlock their full potential - and lead their families, communities and country towards a better future. Merging Vets and Players ensures these men and women know that the challenges they are facing are far more about who they are - Warriors - than what they did in the military or on the field. In reality, that is a title that no one can ever take from you.  Mission Statement? MVP empowers combat veterans and former professional athletes by connecting them after the uniform comes off; providing them with a new team to assist with transition, promote personal development, and show them they are never alone.  

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the SEVENTEENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss how America’s Veteran Population is Changing. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for the program! Hello fellow veterans. I hope all is well, and everyone is staying safe in these challenging times. It has been a while since we have last discussed any topics. I have been surfing for some different and interesting ones to discuss, and I found one on the changing face of the veteran population that I think you might find interesting. I hope you enjoy it. There were around 20.4 million U.S. veterans as of 2016, according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs. This represents less than 10% of the total U.S. adult population. I have included some key facts about those who have served in the military and how this population is slowly changing and represented within the American population. 1) Gulf War-era veterans now account for the largest share of all U.S. veterans. This surpasses the Vietnam-era veterans as of 2016, according to Veterans Affairs’ 2016 population model estimates. There were 6.8 million American veterans who served during the Vietnam era and 7.1 million who served in the Gulf War era, which spans from August 1990 to the present day. (Some veterans served through both eras.) There were also around 771,000 World War II veterans and 1.6 million who served during the Korean conflict, according to VA estimates. About three-quarters (77%) of veterans in 2016 served during wartime, and 23% only served during peacetime. 2) The share of the U.S. population with military experience is declining. As of 2016, 7% of U.S. adults were veterans, which is down from 18% in 1980, according to the National Census Bureau. This drop coincides with decreases in active duty personnel due to military downsizing. Over the past half-century, the number of people on active duty has dropped significantly, from 3.5 million in 1968, during the draft era, to 1.3 million (or less than 1% of all U.S. adults) in today’s all-volunteer force. The military draft ended in 1973. VA projections suggest the number of veterans will continue to decline in the coming decades. By 2045, the department estimates there will be around 12 million veterans, a roughly 40% decrease from current numbers. By that time, Gulf War-era veterans are projected to make up a majority of veterans. 3) The demographic profile of veterans is expected to change in the next few decades. As of 2016, nine-in-ten veterans (91%) are men while 9% are women, according to the VA’s 2016 population model estimates. By 2045, the share of female veterans is expected to double to 18%. The number of female veterans is also projected to increase, from around 1.9 million in 2016 to 2.2 million in 2045. Male veterans, on the other hand, are projected to drop by almost half, from 18.5 million in 2016 to 9.8 million in 2045. Projections also indicate that the veteran population will become slightly younger by 2045, with 33% of veterans more youthful than 50 (compared with 27% in 2016), even as the overall U.S. population continues to age. The share of veterans ages 50 to 69 is expected to shrink from 39% to 33%, while the percentage of those 70 and older is predicted to be around a third of the total (34%) by 2045, similar to the current share. As with trends in the U.S. population overall, the veteran population is predicted to become more racially and ethnically diverse. Between 2016 and 2045, the share of veterans who are non-Hispanic white is expected to drop from 77% to 64%. The percentage of Hispanic veterans is expected to nearly double from 7% to 13%, while the share who are black is likely to increase from 12% to 16%. 4) Fewer members of Congress have prior military experience than in the past. As the share of Americans who are veterans has declined, so has the percentage of Congress members who have previously served in the military. In the current Congress, 20% of senators and 19% of representatives had prior military service, down drastically from just a few decades ago. The share of senators who are veterans reached a post-Korean War peak of 81% in 1975, while the percentage among House members peaked in 1967 at 75%. However, there are signs more veterans could run for office in the future. 5) The Department of Veterans Affairs receives a low favorability rating. While the public expresses favorable views of many federal agencies, the VA received the lowest rating among ten agencies and departments in a Pew Research Center survey earlier this year. Roughly half of U.S. adults (49%) had a favorable view of the VA, and 34% expressed an unfavorable view. As with all the agencies and departments in the survey, there were partisan differences. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents expressed lower favorability for the VA (40%) than Democrats and Democratic leaners (60%). Americans continue to see veterans’ services as an essential priority.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the SIXTEENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss Veteran Specific Health Issues. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for the program! Hello, fellow veterans! I hope everyone is doing well now that we have been living with COVID for over a year now. Who would have thought this type of thing would come to our society, or world, and make such an impact as it has today? Well, with all of these health-related challenges, what a perfect opportunity to discuss the challenges that veterans face daily that are health-related. Some of you are familiar, some maybe not so knowledgeable, but it is always good to stay up-to-date so that we can help other veterans through their challenges. Mental health or behavioral adjustment disorders Medical records of veterans reveal that one in three patients have been diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder – 41% were diagnosed with either mental health or a behavioral adjustment disorder. In compensation or combination with military-related diseases, many veterans develop substance use disorders (SUDs), and a large number ultimately commit suicide. Also, the research found that male veterans diagnosed with depression, manic-depressive disorder, heavy or binge drinking, and alcohol-related problems were significantly associated with an increased risk of suicide. Thus, identifying and treating mental health illness has the most significant potential to mitigate suicide risk. Unfortunately, reluctance to seek help or treatment makes diagnosing and treating mental illness difficult in this population. SUDs The stressors of military service increase the risk of veterans having problems with alcohol, tobacco, or drugs. Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption are higher among veterans than non-military personnel. For some veterans, treatment of a co-morbid condition (e.g., PTSD, depression, pain, insomnia) may resolve the problem. PTSD Also known as "shell shock" or "combat fatigue," PTSD results from witnessing or experiencing (directly or indirectly) a traumatic event. PTSD is a combination of symptoms, severity, and duration. Diagnosis is based upon four symptom categories: intrusive symptoms (flashbacks), avoidance of reminders (isolation), negative thoughts and feelings ("no one can be trusted"), and arousal and reactivity symptoms (exaggerated startle response). PTSD is often associated with "traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma (MST), sleep problems, substance use, pain, and other psychiatric disorders, and requires comprehensive assessment." Treatment is aimed at therapy (psychotherapy, prolonged exposure therapy, family/group therapy, and others), social support, and/or medication such as antidepressants. TBI TBI is a traumatically induced structural injury and/or physiological disruption of brain function due to an external force. TBI can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe depending on the length of unconsciousness, memory loss/disorientation, and responsiveness of the individual following the event (i.e., are they able to follow commands). While mild TBI (or concussion) is the most common, diagnosis is difficult since symptoms include headaches, dizziness/problems walking, fatigue, irritability, memory problems, and problems paying attention. Depression Among the available data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), depression ranks among the most common mental health disorders. The diagnosis rate for veteran depression is 14% (although NAMI believes depression is under-diagnosed). Notably, NAMI found that individuals with PTSD were less likely to commit suicide versus those with depression, probably due to the increased awareness and acceptance of PTSD. Despite its devastating effects, major depression is a treatable illness with 80%–90% success rate using medication, psychotherapy, and/or electroconvulsive therapy. Suicide With 18 to 22 veterans committing suicide daily, risk assessment and intervention are paramount. Private and public health care professionals must be aware of patients' military history (since not all veterans seek care in VA clinics) and be able to recognize suicide-risk factors, regardless of age. Young veterans aged 18–44 years are most at risk of suicide; yet, it has been found that even older veterans, aged 50 years and older, were still almost twice as likely to commit suicide versus non-veterans (69% and 37%, respectively). Additionally, 11% of veterans who survive a first suicide attempt will reattempt within nine months, and 6% of those will die. Evidence has been discovered supporting the efficacy of VA health care systems in lowering veterans' non-fatal suicide attempt rates. Thus, referral to a VA facility is recommended for appropriate counseling and health services. Chronic pain With 82% of OEF and OIF veterans reporting chronic pain, diagnosis and treatment are essential. A comprehensive assessment of pain is crucial and identifies associated physiological/biological and psychological factors since chronic physical pain is often associated with co-morbid conditions, including TBI and PTSD, that may complicate treatment. Treatment should focus on concurrently addressing all needs, with extreme cautionary use of opioids due to the heightened risk of veterans developing SUDs. Amputations Advancement in medical technology and bodily protection allows soldiers to survive injuries at a higher rate than in previous wars. Yet, the scars from a traumatic amputation are deep, and many soldiers develop mental health injuries related to the event, and in cases involving multiple limb amputations or disfigurement, body image issues may create various social and employment barriers. Health care professionals must be able to address these barriers and the emotional health of the veteran. Sensory aids, prostheses, and medical rehabilitation require an interdisciplinary team approach to healing wounded soldiers. Rehabilitation care Many veterans have a hard time reacclimating into society after deployment due to military skills that are not transferrable to civilian life, bodily trauma that renders them individually handicapped, and/or war-related mental disease. Rehabilitation care is aimed at balancing vocational, physical, social, and mental therapies to prepare veterans for re-entry into civilian life. Vocational programs help job-seeking veterans develop the skills and knowledge required for a particular job. Physical rehabilitation focuses on improving veterans' quality of life and independence. Social rehabilitation assists veterans to assimilate to non-military life and establish new ways of life post-deployment. Mental rehabilitation teaches veterans with mental health illness the living skills of community functioning and the ability to deal with their new environment. Hazardous exposures Veterans' past exposure to chemicals (Agent Orange, contaminated water), radiation (nuclear weapons, X-rays), air pollutants (burn pit smoke, dust), occupational hazards (asbestos, lead), warfare agents (chemical and biological weapons), noise, and vibration increase their risk of health problems even years after the initial introduction. For example, long-term health problems have been implicated in association with Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam veterans. For those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is insufficient data to identify the long-term health effects of hazardous exposure to pollutants, such as "burn pits" and infectious agents such as rabies, despite the immediate side-effects experienced by most veterans. Obtaining an accurate medical and deployment history is essential in providing accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Homelessness It is estimated that approximately 49,933 veterans are homeless (12% of the homeless adult population). Homeless veterans face the same difficulties as non-veterans, such as substance use, unemployment, and mental illness. However, they are troubled with the additional burdens of military-related factors, such as PTSD, TBI, a history of multiple deployments, and military skills that might not be transferable to the civilian work environment. National Coalition for Homeless Veterans found that 51% of homeless veterans have disabilities, 50% suffer from a severe mental illness, and 70% have SUDs. National Coalition for Homeless Veterans believes housing and employment opportunities are a top priority for homeless veterans. Conclusion Currently, there are approximately 22 million US veterans. Preparing future health care providers to meet the needs of this extraordinary number of veterans is essential. Providing faculty development in the area of veteran-specific health issues and how to integrate veteran content into protocols will contribute to improving veteran outcomes and providing excellent care to those who served in this country. Additionally, the total enrollees of veterans who utilize the VA health care system are approximately 10 million, which is less than half the current total veteran population. Furthermore, about 61% of all separated OEF/OIF veterans have used VA health care. This indicates that veterans are primarily using civilian medical care facilities, further stressing the need for health care providers to be well versed in veteran-specific health issues, war eras, and the reintegration issues veterans face so they can provide excellent veteran care and outcomes. Promotion and implementation of veteran health issues and other veteran content relevant to enhancing veteran care and outcomes are essential in health care provider education and vital to the holistic care of veterans across the lifespan and the country. Programs targeted at enhancing veteran-specific knowledge for faculty and students will improve care for diverse veteran populations. We also must educate ourselves and other veterans on the available resources to meet their medical needs. I hope this week's article has helped improve your knowledge of health-related issues that veterans are challenged with daily. If you see or hear of a veteran experiencing any problems, reach out to them and point them in the right direction so they can get the help they need.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the FIFTEENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss Veteran Related Mental Health Issues. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for the program! Many military veterans experience a group of mental health conditions that tend to affect military personnel and their families disproportionately. These conditions may include posttraumatic stress (PTSD), depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and substance abuse, among many other issues. Due to the traumatic environment in which active military combatants serve, veterans are at a significantly higher risk of developing these health concerns. These concerns can often be addressed and resolved with the support of mental health professionals PTSD In Veterans Posttraumatic stress is an anxiety issue that may develop after an individual has been exposed to a traumatic or overwhelming life experience. While the human body tends to return to baseline levels after experiencing a stressful event, people experiencing PTSD continue to release stress-related hormones and chemicals. Four basic types of symptoms characterize posttraumatic stress: Reliving the event: Repeatedly experiencing the event in flashbacks Having intrusive, repeated, and upsetting memories of the event Regularly having nightmares about the event Having intense and discomforting reactions to objects or situations that remind you of the event Avoidance: Staying away from people, places, or even thoughts that remind you of the event Emotional numbness Feelings of detachment Memory problems Loss of interest in everyday activities Being emotionally guarded Feelings of hopelessness Hyperarousal: Continually scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger Problems concentrating Increased irritability Being easily startled Erratic sleep patterns Negative thoughts, moods, or feelings: Feeling guilty about the event Criticizing or blaming other individuals for the event Loss of interest in activities and people Though traumatic incidents - such as participating in combat, experiencing sexual abuse, or having a car accident—must occur for a person to develop PTSD, not all traumatic experiences result in posttraumatic stress. Only a small percentage of people who go through trauma experience PTSD. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD among American women is 10%, while only 4% of American men will experience PTSD at some point during their life. American combat veterans have a much higher prevalence of PTSD than American civilians. Between 11-20% of veterans from Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF) experience posttraumatic stress in a given year. Approximately 12% of Gulf War (Desert Storm) veterans and 15% of Vietnam veterans are affected by PTSD annually. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD for Vietnam veterans is 30%. Military personnel are at higher risk for developing posttraumatic stress because service members are intimately involved in wartime incidents that may be frightening, horrifying, and at times, life-threatening. One emotionally overwhelming episode may be enough for PTSD to develop, but combat often facilitates prolonged and repeated exposure to traumatic events. Depression And Anxiety In Veterans Mental health conditions that adversely affect moods, such as depression and anxiety, are also prevalent among military veterans - and veterans may experience these issues for many different reasons. Factors such as reduced health (physical and mental), unemployment, and financial difficulties can contribute to negative thoughts and moods. Upon returning home, some veterans report feeling disconnected from family members and friends. The belief that no one can relate to their experiences or offer meaningful emotional support can prompt service members to bottle up their feelings or even seek social isolation. Such actions, though, may only serve to exacerbate the situation. Other factors may also play a role in developing negative thought patterns. For example, the grief of losing one's friends during combat, coupled with feelings of survivor's guilt, can lead to the development of depression and anxiety if they are not adequately treated. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) And Veterans Traumatic brain injury is currently one of the most discussed topics in the medical and mental health communities, as many veterans have returned home with the condition's symptoms. It has even been called a "signature injury" of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Traumatic brain injury may be caused by a blow to the head, the head striking an object, or by an explosion in close proximity. People who experience a brain injury may become confused, disoriented, experience slow or delayed thinking, and even slip into a coma. Memory loss of events preceding and immediately following the injury is also common. Other symptoms associated with TBI are headaches, dizziness, and difficulty paying attention. In some cases, traumatic brain injury can result in physical deficits, behavioral changes, emotional deficiencies, and loss of cognitive ability. In the most recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, 78% of all combat injuries are caused by explosive munitions. Mild TBI or concussion is one of the most prevalent combat injuries, affecting roughly 15% of all active military combatants in Iraq and Afghanistan. Due to the devastating effect of roadside bombs in these countries, the ability to effectively treat traumatic brain injury is of great importance in veteran care. Other Mental Health Issues Experienced By Veterans While posttraumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and traumatic brain injury are at the forefront of most people's minds regarding veteran care, there are other mental health conditions that warrant attention. These include: Drug and alcohol abuse Suicidal ideation Anger issues Sleep apnea Dementia An individual who serves in the military will not necessarily develop a mental health condition. Further, a mental health concern experienced by a veteran may have no relation to the veteran's military service. Mental health professionals who work with veterans will typically assess each person individually and consider all symptoms and life experiences before making a diagnosis or starting treatment. Therapy For Military And Veterans Issues The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a wide range of mental health services and treatments to aid military veterans. Treatments may be given in various settings: short-term inpatient care, outpatient care in a psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery center (PRRC), or residential care. For veterans experiencing post traumatic stress, antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and mood-stabilizing drugs may be prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist. These medications can address depression and anxiety issues, reduce irritability, improve sleep patterns, and ease nightmares or intrusive thoughts. While the use of mood-influencing medications is particularly common in treating depression and anxiety, talk therapies can also be very beneficial. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and interpersonal therapy (IPT) can help veterans reduce emotional pain and re-establish positive social relationships. Certain types of treatments--such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT) or prolonged exposure therapy (PE)--may also be used to promote positive thought patterns and behaviors in veterans experiencing mental health issues. Medical guidelines strongly recommend both CBT and PE for the treatment of posttraumatic stress. Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (MH RRTPs), established by the VA, provide a 24/7 health care setting for veterans with PTSD. Veterans with traumatic brain injury may experience a variety of mental health issues. Different therapeutic strategies may be applied, depending on which areas of a person's functioning are affected. Conventional treatments for TBIs include rehabilitation therapies (for example, speech-language therapy), medication, assistive devices, and learning strategies to address cognitive, emotional, and behavioral deficits. Support And Therapy For Military Families Military life and deployment can take a toll on each member of the family system. Children and teenagers may become irritable or rebellious, and the parent at home may have to cope with the increased burden of caring for the family alone daily. Deployment can lead family members to feel anxious, alone, or unsupported. Military families also have to face the possibility that the deployed family member may return seriously injured or may not return at all. A family who is out of touch with extended family members of the military community may be more likely to experience increased stress during this period. While happiness and relief may often be experienced when a deployed family member returns home, initial joy might give way to feelings of frustration as issues associated with reintegration increase. The returning parent may experience personality changes or developed mental or physical health concerns, children may have been born or developed to different stages in life, and marital bonds may have been weakened. The need to readjust to new roles within the family system may increase tension between family members. Many resources are available for military families leading up to and during deployment. Family therapy programs help parents explain the deployment process to young children, while support programs are in place to help returning veterans and their family members go through the reintegration process with as few issues as possible. At present, the VA has identified six key ways to assist military families: Increase behavioral health care services Promote awareness that psychological health is as important as physical health Promote housing security for veterans and military families Increase opportunities for federal careers Increase opportunities for private-sector careers Provide more opportunities for educational advancement Unused Resources Available To Veterans Though the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) has expanded its mental health services and integrated supplementary programs for the benefit of veterans who are experiencing mental health issues, a significant proportion of these services remain unused. Of all army veterans who have a mental health concern, approximately 60% do not seek assistance from a mental health professional. Studies indicate that roughly 70% of veterans with posttraumatic stress or depression do not seek help. Surveys conducted among veterans experiencing mental health challenges have highlighted several reasons for the under-utilization of available resources. Common responses include: Fear of being stigmatized within the military community Fear of confronting trauma Constrained access to care (due to location or wait time) Lack of expertise among available mental health care providers The belief that friends and family can provide all needed care Lack of knowledge of available mental health resources Lack of knowledge of how to access possible mental health care Don't allow these reasons to prevent you or a veteran you know from seeking help. So, hopefully, this information has helped improve your knowledge of the mental health issues that veterans face daily. A little knowledge can help a veteran in need. Please keep an eye out for your fellow veterans out there. It can be trauma from the combat zone that causes these issues, and a friend can help them get through them.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the FOURTEENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss PTSD and Tough Months. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for the program! Different times of the year become very busy for many people, but for many veterans this can cause tough times when many barriers develop with many different obstacles like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many people have limited knowledge on this issue, except for what the media portrays it as, which is virtually untrue. Here are some facts to educate you on this disorder that challenges many veterans and can give you some knowledge to help these veterans in many ways. Understanding PTSD in veterans Many veterans have a hard time readjusting to life outside of the military. Many always feel on edge, emotionally numb and disconnected, or close to panicking or exploding. For all too many veterans, these are common experiences—lingering symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s hard living with untreated PTSD and, with long Veterans Affairs (VA) wait times, it’s easy to get discouraged. But many can feel better and get started today, even while waiting for professional treatment, by being proactive and educating themselves on the disorder itself and things to help relieve symptoms. What causes PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sometimes known as shell shock or combat stress, occurs after you experience severe trauma or a life-threatening event. It’s normal for a veteran’s mind and body to be in shock after such an event, but this normal response becomes PTSD when their nervous system gets “stuck.” A Veterans nervous system has two automatic or reflexive ways of responding to stressful events: Mobilization, or fight-or-flight, occurs when you need to defend yourself or survive the danger of a combat situation. Your heart pounds faster, your blood pressure rises, and your muscles tighten, increasing your strength and reaction speed. Once the danger has passed, your nervous system calms your body, lowering your heart rate and blood pressure and winding back down to its normal balance. Immobilization occurs when you’ve experienced too much stress in a situation, and even though the danger has passed, you find yourself “stuck.” Your nervous system cannot return to its normal state of balance, and you’re unable to move on from the event. This is PTSD. Recovering from PTSD involves transitioning out of the mental and emotional war zone you’re still living in and helping your nervous system become “unstuck.” Symptoms of PTSD in veterans While veterans develop symptoms of PTSD in the hours or days following a traumatic event, sometimes symptoms don’t surface for months or even years after you return from deployment. While PTSD develops differently in each veteran, there are four symptom clusters: Recurrent, intrusive reminders of the traumatic event, including distressing thoughts, nightmares, and flashbacks, where you feel like the event is happening again. You may experience extreme emotional and physical reactions to reminders of the trauma, such as panic attacks, uncontrollable shaking, and heart palpitations. Extreme avoidance of things that remind you of the traumatic event, including people, places, thoughts, or situations you associate with the bad memories. This includes withdrawing from friends and family and losing interest in everyday activities. Adverse changes in your thoughts and mood, such as exaggerated negative beliefs about yourself or the world and persistent feelings of fear, guilt, or shame. You may notice a diminished ability to experience positive emotions. Being on guard all the time, jumpy, and emotionally reactive, as indicated by irritability, anger, reckless behavior, difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating, and hypervigilance. Here are some resources or ideas to help veterans experiencing PTSD events or having issues. Help for Veterans Life in the military has taught you to be strong in the face of some of life's most challenging obstacles. It's also taught you to expect the unexpected. As a veteran, you know hardships can happen in every corner of life. If you or someone you know needs support, your military family is committed to helping. Assistance is at hand. Non-medical counseling for veterans When life throws you a curveball, you might need to talk to someone who gets it. Veterans have several options for confidential non-medical counseling. To receive non-medical counseling from Military OneSource as a veteran, you must be within 365 days of separation from the military. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers the Vet Center Program that provides quality readjustment counseling. If you have served in any combat zone, you and your family are eligible. Vet Centers can be found all across the U.S. Risk factors and treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder People who live through a traumatic event sometimes suffer its effects long after the danger has passed. Several factors play a role in developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, so there is no way to know who will or won’t experience it. The good news is treatment is available, and early treatment may help reduce long-term symptoms. Alcohol and substance abuse programs While anyone can be at risk of alcohol and substance abuse, there are several aspects of military life that can trigger it. Understand the signs of a substance abuse problem. If you find yourself or know someone repeatedly engaging in activities that have a negative impact on your life, you might be engaging in addictive behavior. Learn more about the signs. You can also find support through Alcoholics Anonymous and other similar programs. To find a program near you, call SAHMSA's National Helpline at 800-662-4357 or find treatment centers online. The VA provides effective treatment services for all eligible veterans. Options include therapy as well as medications in some cases. To get help, speak with your existing VA healthcare provider or call 800-827-1000. Housing assistance and help for homeless veterans Delinquency and assistance for housing loans Veterans at risk of becoming homeless can always call or visit their local VA medical center or Community Resource and Referral Center for assistance. Veteran homelessness The VA, in collaboration with other government offices and partners, offers programs such as Supportive Housing, Homeless Provider Grants, Enhanced-Used Lease, and Acquired Property Sales for Homeless Providers. Help for suicide prevention If you’re having suicidal thoughts or you're concerned about a loved one, don't hesitate. Have a confidential talk with a professional who knows how to help. The Veterans Crisis Line is always open. Call: 1-800-273-8255 then Press 1. Call for help or chat online 24/7 at no cost. Speak to qualified Veteran Affairs responders who understand the challenges of military life. They know — many are veterans themselves. Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered nearly 2.4 million callers and engaged in almost 294,000 chats. The Defense Suicide Prevention Office is committed to developing suicide prevention efforts among all military services stakeholders. From best practices to resources for family and friends, help is available. Every veteran is valuable and deserves our support. As a military family, we're committed to supporting veterans' strength and resilience. Don't hesitate to reach out and get the care you need or for someone you know. Conclusion There is no bigger gift than the gift of caring for another veteran in need. So, if you see a fellow brother/sister that is a little down on his/her luck, give him/her a helping hand, guidance, knowledge, anything that may just give him/her a boost that will get them through that tough time. I know they will appreciate it more than you know. They would do the same for you if you were in need.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the THIRTEENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss Challenges that Veterans Face during their Transition. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for the program! We have reached another week, survived the weather that has faced us and our daily challenges. Topic selection is always a challenge to ensure diverse and interesting topics are selected, so I have come up with the challenges that veterans face throughout their lives and as they transition into their civilian lives. Here are some of those challenges that veterans are currently experiencing. Unpreparedness for Civilian Employment Veteran employment challenges could be partly attributed to a lack of preparation for finding civilian employment when they left the military. Part of the lack of preparation for civilian job placement included unrealistic employment expectations. Almost all of the service providers interviewed described the Veteran as lacking knowledge in the kind of jobs that would be available to them when they left the military. Veterans also had unrealistic expectations regarding the level they would enter the workforce and what kind of compensation they would receive. Veterans leaving the military thought their military service would allow for job opportunities at a similar rank and pay as what they received during military service. This is not the case. Veteran’s often feel as though they had to start over completely and that their transition out of the military was not the steady progression of career advancement they expected. Despite this, Veterans remain incredibly motivated and willing to work their way up through civilian employment opportunities. But they also described what often happens to their veteran clients when these expectations are not met. Faced with starting from the bottom or in entry-level positions, their clients often became very frustrated. Unaddressed Mental Health and Substance Abuse Issues A common theme for both barriers to employment and risk factors for unemployment for Veterans with unaddressed mental health and substance abuse issues. Every Veteran described these as significant challenges in finding employment. Many described the issues as often inter-connected, with clients using substances as self-medication for lingering mental health issues, most commonly PTSD and/or depression. These problems manifest themselves in several ways concerning employment. First, they are relevant to the motivation to find and keep employment. Veterans have appeared not quite ready to address their mental health and/or substance abuse issues. Also, Veterans with unaddressed mental health or substance abuse issues are challenging to place. One service provider described employers as very reluctant to hire a veteran if an employer even slightly suspects a veteran may be experiencing mental health issues. Although this is most likely true for hiring civilians, the stigma of mental health issues that have come to be associated with military service appeared to make employers mostly concerned when hiring veterans. Continuation of Military Identity One of the most common themes across all Veteran Groups was the indication and expression of how the veteran participants continue to see themselves through a military identity. The impact of their training and military experience was still evident in their actions, behaviors, and thoughts and their ability to relate to civilian friends, family, and employers. Almost every focus group participant described feeling more comfortable around those who had also previously served in the military. The military identity appears to be an additional barrier and challenge inhibiting veterans’ abilities to adapt and transition to civilian life, especially in gaining and maintaining employment. This was evidenced in their difficulty adjusting to the civilian work culture. A clear theme that emerged from the focus groups was that even when veterans had secured work, many found it hard to maintain their employment as they had not settled well into the civilian work ethic and culture. Criminal Background and/or Dishonorable Discharge The most prominent theme from service provider interviews regarding the risk factors for unemployment in their veteran clients was a criminal background and/or dishonorable discharge. These Veterans are most difficult to employ and the most at risk for chronic unemployment. Along with the unique challenges that come with finding veterans employment, criminal background, or dishonorable discharge creates additional barriers, particularly the unwillingness of employers to hire these veterans and lack of available jobs. Stigma Associated with Hiring Veterans An additional theme from Veterans was overcoming the stigma associated with hiring veterans. Service provider participants described reluctance by some employers to hire their veteran clients. This was most often attributed to concerns over mental health issues, long gaps in employment history, and an unwillingness to hire those with a dishonorable discharge and/or criminal background. Veterans were very direct about the stigma they perceived facing while trying to enter the civilian workforce. Veterans felt as though relaying their military service to potential employers automatically put them at a disadvantage. Most relayed employers’ concerns about possible mental health issues. Veteran Client Age When looking at specific risk factors for unemployment, Veterans often brought up age as a significant factor that may make veterans susceptible to unemployment. However, there was a mixture of responses regarding at what age clients were most vulnerable. Some participants felt the older veteran clients were most at risk for unemployment. Reasons provided included older veterans who have outdated skills, have difficulty using technology and are more likely to have been chronically unemployed with long gaps out of the workforce. Veterans felt the younger generation of veterans was more at risk for unemployment. Younger veterans as more likely to have mental health issues, not prepared to focus on gaining employment, not willing to get help, and at risk for creating long gaps out of the workforce that will make them difficult to employ. Availability of Appropriate Jobs Veterans revealed the lack of available jobs appropriate to veteran skills and experience and pay a living wage to be a significant barrier for veteran employment. Veterans discussed a lack of employment, this was particularly relevant for service providers that worked in rural areas. Many of the veterans reported that one of the challenges they face in finding employment is identifying available jobs that are appropriate to their skills and experience but also that pay them a living wage. Both pre-9/11 and post-9/11 veterans said that, in their experience, the only work available to them was as security for private companies, bars or nightclubs, fast food restaurants, or other low-skilled positions. The lack of appropriate and fairly paid work impacted many veterans’ motivations to apply for jobs and maintain work once offered a job. Hopefully, this helps you understand some of the challenges that other veterans are experiencing as they transition back into the civilian world. If we can understand these challenges, it will allow us to help these veterans get through them a little easier and maybe be there for them through their struggles. Anyway, I hope you have a great week! Please take care of yourself and other veterans

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWELFTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss Three Issues Facing Veterans in Your Community. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for the program! There are three primary issues that face veterans in almost every community at one point in their lives; unemployment, homelessness, and suicide. If it doesn’t, then you are one of the lucky ones, but for many, this is their reality. Veterans bring many skills to the table, and many of these skills that have been learned in the military can benefit their communities once they’ve been discharged. Often, a veteran needs a helping hand to get reintegrated into their communities to become a functioning member. While veterans have unique skills, they also possess unique hurdles, including higher rates of unemployment, homelessness, and suicide, but with the help of their communities, they can overcome these obstacles. Many need help at the right time – especially offered by the proper people, organizations, and businesses in their communities. Veteran Unemployment Veteran unemployment is twice the national average. A Veterans’ most significant obstacles in obtaining employment are translating their military background into a work experience that is easily understandable by civilians, that meets the licensing requirements, and finding jobs while being disabled. As veterans become older and the longer, he or she has been separated from military service, the better their prospects are for employment. While eighty percent of military jobs have a civilian counterpart, the licensing requirements usually differ. This requires the veteran to go through civilian education in a field that they have already mastered. Also, the educational and testing requirements may vary from state to state. The Veterans Administration (VA) will help pay for testing, but the cost of education usually will fall on the veteran, which can be very expensive. The 29-percent service-related disability rates are higher among veterans. Most common disabilities include missing limbs, burns, hearing loss, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Veterans with service-related disabilities had an employment-population ratio of 43.3 percent, which is lower the 49-percent of the non-disabled population. The VA helps veterans by providing a Military Skills Translator, which translates military jobs into easy to read resume-ready information – and imports it to the organization’s Resume Builder. Additionally, there are exclusive unemployment benefits for veterans. The Department of Labor (DOL) partnered with the VA to offer Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment services, helping with training in developing new job skills, starting a business, or receiving education counseling. Another service, The Veterans Opportunity to Work program, can offer to extend additional vocational rehabilitation benefits for those who have completed their initial program. Rally Point provides post-military professional networking opportunities for veterans, along with Jobless Warrior providing employment and job search resources, to include career coaches and information on employers looking to hire veterans. Those veterans with service-connected disabilities have a preference when applying for specific federal jobs or potentially winning individual federal government contacts. Some Disabled veterans also are eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation. Those who hire service-disabled veterans qualify for tax incentives through the Special Employer Incentive program. The VOW program also can assist veterans in receiving disability accommodations. Veteran Homelessness One out of ten of those homeless people are veterans; 50 percent are disabled, and three-quarters of homeless veterans have some sort of mental health issues. Another 1.5 million veterans are at-risk for homelessness because of poverty, lack of support networks, and overcrowded housing. One half a million veterans pay more than one half of their total income on their rent. Many of our nation's homeless veterans, or at-risk for homelessness, have service-connected disabilities, especially mental health issues like PTSD or substance abuse issues. Unemployment can also factor in because of the inability to transition military training to civilian work. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans stresses a need for housing, nutrition, physical, mental healthcare, and job services for our nation's homeless and at-risk veterans. The coalition reports that community-based programs to serve veterans saw the most significant success rate. The Interagency Council of Homelessness has established a benchmarking guide for communities looking to address veteran homelessness actively. This council also has published a strategy guide, recommending a public commitment to eradicating veteran homelessness; coordination programs with private landlords matching homeless vets with housing; identifying resources at the federal, state, and local levels; and coordinating with job programs to help provide training and services. The Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service provided the availability of $12 million in funding to help veterans with job training and sustainable housing to transition them from homelessness. The VA provided housing assistance in conjunction with Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program, including exams, treatment, and referrals. The Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans program offered mental health and rehabilitation services and job services explicitly targeted toward our homeless veterans to help with assistance. Additionally, Veterans Matter is a nonprofit organization that provides housing to homeless veterans founded by a formerly homeless man. Veterans Matter works directly with other organizations to raise awareness and funding. Veteran Suicide Veterans represent one in five of the total population of those who die from suicide in America. Unfortunately, Twenty-two veterans will die of suicide daily. Many of those lack access to or don’t utilize available VA services that are available. There are many reasons why veterans are suffering from this issue. Many veterans suffer from isolation, have little to no meaningful social connections, and become prone to suicide issues, especially during transitional periods – such as separation from the military or changes in their lives. Unemployment and homelessness are periods that veterans may see themselves as burdens to their communities, which are significant stressors, as viewed by the veteran. The risk of suicide is most notable during the first three years following separation from the military. This isolation can be especially acute in veterans who suffer from PSTD or lost fellow service members, even if they have an adequate support system. In such cases, veterans may feel that others can't understand the trauma they have endured, causing a feeling of disconnection from society. The Center for Disease Control established in a report on suicide prevention that the following recommendations should be implemented to improve a veterans environment: strengthening financial security, encouraging emotional intelligence and identifying and intervening with those most at-risk, improving safe storage practices for firearms and medicines, stabilizing housing, increasing access to mental health care, promoting community engagement, and enhancing communication and problem-solving skills. The VA also has a dedicated suicide crisis line – call 1(800) 273-8255 or text 838255 – including helpful resources for veterans and concerned loved ones to obtain information on suicide warning signs and crisis resources. Additionally, the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention has developed training called; “Signs, Ask, Validate, Encourage and Expedite” to help those who encounter veterans to recognize red-flags of suicide and act. The nonprofit Psych Armor Institute has helped provide this training covering various topics from military culture, myths, supporting veterans, and self-care. Additionally, the VA Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide addresses veteran suicide in a multi-pronged approach: visibility and awareness; preventive services; treatment and support; and research. Through knowledge, pro-active, and preventive measures and support, your community can best serve its veterans, reaping the benefits of all they have to offer in return and thanking them for their service. Conclusion Well, hopefully, this information is helpful to you, or you can share it with a fellow veteran who can use it in their life. If there is two things I learned a long time ago, Always Strive to Learn Something New Everyday! and Knowledge is Power! So, Never Stop Learning!

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the ELEVENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss Issues Facing The Elderly Veteran Population. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff! The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) is the current American embodiment of an ancient social pact, one that has existed in many forms since antiquity, between a society and those who go to war on its behalf. The agreement is that in return for the soldier risking his (or her) life, society will care for an injured soldier, and sometimes his dependent family members, until death. In the era of Greek city-states and even the Plymouth Colony, the average life expectancy for humans was four decades or less, and the number of individuals affected numbered at most in the hundreds. Now, as expectancy is more than eight decades and military service engages millions of individuals whose ages cover the full adult lifespan, the promise of lifetime care for former warriors has become an enormous, costly, complex, and mostly elderly-focused health and support services enterprise. According to the 2012 United States Census brief, there are more than 12.4 million veterans age 65 or older. This elderly veteran population served in conflicts such as World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War. Issues affect all veterans as they battle the V.A. for the benefits they deserve, but today, we will look at some of the problems that are commonly faced by elderly veterans in particular. Lack of Evidence To obtain V.A. disability benefits, a veteran must have medical proof showing they have a current disability, medical or lay evidence showing the disability began or was aggravated in service, and medical evidence of a link, or nexus, between their current disability and the in-service event. Additionally, to show the severity of their disability, the veteran will need evidence such as V.A. treatment records, private medical records, and/or statements from family and friends describing how the veteran’s disability affects them. One problem that many elderly veterans may run in to is locating and obtaining their service records. Getting service records for elderly veterans can be especially difficult due to a fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in 1973 that destroyed millions of official military service records. The VA is required to assist veterans in obtaining their service records, but a veteran needs to make sure the V.A. has notified all potential locations of service records. The following is a list of organizations that may have service records: The NPRC The United States Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC): The JSRRC works to find military records supporting veterans’ inquiries related to PTSD and Agent Orange VA disability claims. The National Archives and Record Administration (NARA): This is the official location where records for military personnel discharged from the Navy, Army, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are stored. The Naval Historical Center: This is the official center for historical information related to Navy military records and includes information such as deck logs and ship histories, which can help Agent Orange claims. A veteran does not have to rely solely on service records for evidence of an in-service event; they can also use lay evidence such as buddy statements. However, elderly veterans may find it challenging to obtain this kind of evidence as well. For example, elderly veterans’ fellow service members might no longer be alive or suffer from memory loss. Transportation The process involved with getting V.A. disability benefits often requires a veteran to go to V.A. offices and medical centers. Many times, these visits are mandatory, such as appearing at Compensation and Pension Exams (C&P exams). If a veteran does not show up for a C&P exam, the V.A. can reduce or even take away their benefits. Even worse is the fact that the V.A. doesn’t provide transportation to their facilities. However, some regulations allow for veterans to get a transportation allowance or a reimbursement for transportation costs. For example, 38. C.F.R. § 21.154 that states, “a veteran who because of the effects of disability has transportation expenses in addition to those incurred by persons not so disabled, shall be provided a transportation allowance to defray such additional expenses.” The Slow Process Perhaps one of the most severe issues facing the elderly veteran population is the length of time it takes the V.A. to complete the disability claim appeal process. Some Regional Offices are so backlogged that they’re up to 2 years behind on deciding veterans’ appeals. The Board of Veterans Appeals (B.V.A.) is even more backlogged. Appeals at the B.V.A. are taking up to 3 years to get decided. The problem is, elderly veterans, don’t always have time on their side. A study cited in a research article discussing issues facing the elderly veteran population stated: “approximately 3,000 veterans die each year with their disability compensation claims still mired in some stage of the agency’s adjudication process.” Claims can be expedited, but the V.A.’s regulations state that veterans must be 85 years or older for their claim to receive priority processing. If a veteran is under 85 years old, their claim can still be expedited due to other factors such as financial hardship or being terminally ill. Underutilized Benefits Unfortunately, many elderly veterans might not generalize the extent of V.A. benefits they are entitled to, or they might be completely unaware of benefits they may be eligible for. Elderly veterans may be entitled to receive additional compensation on top of any service-connected compensation they’re already receiving. Also, elderly veterans may be entitled to different health care programs tailored to their needs. The following is a list of some common benefits and health care programs that elderly veterans may be entitled to: Aid and Attendance: available for veterans who require help with performing daily functions, are bedridden, a patient in a nursing home, or are blind. Housebound: available for veterans that are confined to their home because of a permanent disability Adult Day Health Care: this is a day program that provides recreation, companionship, and health care services such as care from nurses, therapists, social workers, etc. Home Based Primary Care: this program is for veterans with complex health care needs that are not being met by routine clinic-based care. A VA doctor will supervise a team that provides health care in the veteran’s home. Homemaker and Home Health Aide: available for veterans who need assistance with activities of daily living. Palliative Care: this involves helping veterans (and their families) manage their illness with a plan of care that focuses on the relief of suffering and control of symptoms. Hospice Care: available for veterans who have terminal conditions with less than six months to live Skilled Home Health Care: this is a short-term service for veterans that are homebound or live far away from the V.A. Care is provided by a local community-based health agency that contracts with the V.A. Respite Care: This service offers a person to come to a veteran’s home while the veteran’s primary caregiver takes a break. Telehealth: allows a veteran’s doctor or nurse to monitor the veteran’s condition remotely using home monitoring equipment. Veteran Directed Care: available for veterans in need of skilled services, case management, or assistance with daily living activities. This program allows a veteran to customize a health care plan that best meets their needs. It should be apparent from the preceding comments that V.A. is a very large, complex, and continuously evolving enterprise. Veterans Affairs’ commitment to serving those who were willing to put their lives at risk for their countrymen has never wavered, but the challenges of a large governmental organization that has to be responsive to changing demography, shifting societal priorities, political forces, and technological improvements are numerous, complex, elusive and daunting. Nevertheless, VA has made an enormous, positive mark on the health and health care of all older Americans through its decades of effort on behalf of aging veterans and undoubtedly will continue to do so for decades to come.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss The Veteran's Perception and Social Stigmas. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff! Every veteran that transitions from military life into the civilian world has to deal with some judgment during their reintegration. You know what I am talking about. Society has preconceived opinions of veterans based on one percent of the population’s actions or the media. We are dangerous! Uneducated! Crazy! Unstable! All of these are labels that continue to haunt generations of veterans. All of these labels couldn’t be further from the truth. Here we are, after more than 20 years of our nation’s most recent and longest war, as we continue to fight battles at home: the war against stigmas associated with what it means to be a veteran and the war inside ourselves. According to the Veterans Affairs, post 9-11 veterans seek care at the VA more than before. The VA data shows that from 2002 to 2009, one million troops left active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, becoming eligible for VA care. Of forty-six percent of those soldiers who sought VA services, almost half were diagnosed with mental health conditions. The unfortunate fact is that there are many more veterans out there who have never sought care because of the stigmas associated with our brain. As a veteran of the Army who has been diagnosed with both traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), I understand firsthand why veterans do not seek help. We don’t want to be seen as helpless, soft, different, and we certainly don’t want our families, friends, or colleagues to lose confidence in us. Veterans deal with stigmas every day as they transition into their new civilian lives, whether it is through social judgment or from self-stigmas or negative perceptions. The gap continues to widen between military veterans’ experiences and civilians' understanding. Recent research shows that over seventy percent of veterans feel that civilians do not understand the problems they face, and over seventy percent of civilians report they do not understand the challenges veterans face. Also, research shows that fewer Americans have personal ties to the military, and those who do not are less likely to offer support to families who do. These gaps in understanding can lead to military veterans feeling isolated from their civilian communities, which could interfere with their reintegration. Other studies have found that an anticipated stigma is a significant concern of military veterans. The term "anticipated stigma" refers to the concerns of being mistreated by others, being devalued, and discriminated against for holding a stigmatized attribute. In this case, for being associated with the military or identifying as a military veteran. Research has shown that civilians vastly overestimate the percentage of veterans who are likely to experience PTSD, believing that over fifty percent suffer from it. Actual prevalence rates suggest it is closer to ten to twenty percent. This concerns the documented stigmas associated with PTSD, mainly that those with the disorder are violent or crazy. A recent research study showed how civilians feel towards military members using a measurement of implicit bias. This term is referred to as negative bias without conscious awareness or knowledge affected by feelings, behaviors, and decision-making. It is precisely shaped over a lifetime through firsthand learned experiences and indirect messages from family, culture, and media exposure. This study recruited forty-eight undergraduate students to complete a measure of implicit bias against military veterans using the Implicit Association Task test. Examples can be seen at implicit.harvard.edu. Results indicated that the civilians showed a mild negative bias toward veterans, which were not affected by any other influence like biological sex, political affiliation, or by the family history of military service. It is essential to note this study was the first of its kind, and it used a tiny non-representative sample. However, it did provide evidence that stigmatization occurs implicitly. Stigmas and the fear of stigma are widespread among Veterans with PTSD, and both have damaging effects on a Veterans' well-being and participation in their mental health treatments. The internalized stigma has harmful consequences of societal stigmas and has been associated with feelings of decreased hope, morale, self-esteem, personal motivation, and persistence in regards to illness management among individuals with a wide range of mental illnesses. I encourage my fellow veterans, their friends, and family members to educate themselves about veteran mental health and how it affects both self and societal perceptions of veteran stigmas. Know that through persistence, resourcefulness, and self-discipline—the same qualities taught in the military—we can change our brains physiologically and psychologically with or without a diagnosis of TBI and PTSD. Labels should not place limits on our brain’s health, and they most certainly do not define our brain’s potential. Mental health conditions are not signs of weakness and do not last a lifetime; they are treatable and can be overcome with persistence and perseverance. I am asking fellow veterans to commit to shattering the social stigmata associated with mental health conditions in veterans. I encourage all of you to gain a greater understanding of our greatest asset; the brain. This will allow us to help reduce the stigma of TBI, PTSD, and the old-fashioned notion that the brain can’t improve. We need to begin a new, more hopeful global conversation around veteran mental health, allowing us to honor our patriots today and in the future. We owe this to them and all they have done for our country!

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the NINTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss Sharing Your Veteran Experiences with Civilians. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff! I keep running into more and more veterans who continually ask me one big question. “What is the one thing you miss the most about the military?” Well, I have to say the most significant thing is the military camaraderie that doesn’t exist in the civilian sector. The military creates a tight-knit group of people that develop bonds, and camaraderie rarely felt anywhere else. Granted, veterans have to wade through some BS to get to it sometimes, but often that camaraderie is what got us through it. There is no mistake that military camaraderie is something unique and special, and it probably ranks as the primary thing veterans miss when they transition out of the military. Certain groups exist that may come close, but the true friendships formed from experiences in military training and combat cannot be compared. I have conflicting emotions and memories as to whether I genuinely miss the military. I guess I miss portions of the military life and camaraderie, however that chapter is behind me, and it is time to create a new chapter. So how can we take this military camaraderie and share it with our civilian counterparts? Here are some ideas and advice on how to keep military camaraderie alive after you’ve transitioned to civilian life. BRING MILITARY CAMARADERIE TO THE CIVILIAN WORLD AND FRIENDS Many civilians you will interact with will not understand or even comprehend the bonds that military brotherhood and sisterhood are like. However, you can attempt to educate them by bringing the value of military kinship to the civilian world. Show them how to look out for other friends/co-workers, offer others help when they need it, and be loyal to each other. Nothing must be expected back, except the chance to change how people interact around you. The attitudes of others will change quickly, and it will become infectious. Additionally, it can help identify individuals who may share similar values, and you can recreate a new form of that camaraderie you miss. TAKE UP A NEW HOBBY AND TALK TO PEOPLE Another way to connect with people is to stop and talk to them. Grab a cup of coffee, take up a hobby, or get outside your social circle. Last month, I decided to play golf. I haven’t played golf in over ten years and have never been that good, but I just wanted to try again. So, I went and met up with three other players that I have never met before. Two players were veterans! We have a blast! We talked about old times, improved our golf, joked, and now have new golf partners. It is amazing what happens when you think outside the box. You can build some unique camaraderie if you try. CREATE AN SUPPORT GROUP Military camaraderie goes beyond active duty. You are not the only one who has transitioned out of the military. Finding success in the transition is different for everyone, so bumps in the road will be experienced and are inevitable. Take care of each other through these challenging times. There may be many barriers like distance and working vastly different careers, but make a real effort to keep in touch. If someone is having trouble, do what you would have done while on active duty: come together and take care of one another. Sometimes this is as simple as sending what you can monetarily spare, arranging meals, listening, or providing a place to stay during difficult times. Too many veterans fall by the wayside during this civilian transition and find themselves homeless or suicidal. Maintain your former community. As veterans, we need to look out for each other. EXTEND YOUR COMMUNITY TO FELLOW VETERANS Military camaraderie is strongest among veterans who have served together; however, it usually exists universally between every veteran. Despite any generational differences, when veterans meet, there is an instant kinship and common ground. Without a doubt, these moments can go a long way for both you and the fellow veterans. It can be enrichening for your soul. You can take it another level by volunteering at a veterans support group. An example of this is at veteran homeless shelters. You can help change the lives of the vulnerable veteran population. Military camaraderie does not have to disappear when you transition and become a civilian. While we must learn how to function in the civilian world, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take our military values with us. The very concept of military kinship is a compelling value we can educate and offer to the civilian society while continuing to give to our fellow veterans through maintaining support networks and establishing new ones. The experience will never be precisely the same, but that military camaraderie can be just as important.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the EIGHTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss Coping. How do you Cope?. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff!   As Veterans, we all have some kind of traumatic event that we have had to deal with in our lives. How we deal, or cope, with this trauma is key to our success, or failure, in our daily routines. There are many different ways to cope with these traumas. I want to share many different people’s approaches to coping with trauma and give different perspectives and techniques in how these different ways mitigate stress in their lives.   Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle and Exercise All veterans who have had high-stress jobs can benefit from basic stress-reduction techniques. To help reduce stress, there are basic daily things that can be done to help mitigate the effects of stress:   Exercise regularly. Cardio and strength training reduces stress levels and keeps your mission ready.   Get good sleep. Poor sleep or not enough sleep has a significant negative impact on wellbeing.   Eat healthy. A good diet helps keep your body and mind in shape.   Participate in relaxing activities. Breathing-based meditation and yoga, for example, can improve symptoms and reduce anxiety.   Stay connected. The support of friends and family improves psychological health when facing stress.   Get outside! Do not become a hermit and stay inside.   Socialize Communication is key to anything, relationships, problems, work, friendships, and stress. Talk to others when stress becomes too high. The more you talk about your stress with people your trust, the most you get off your chest and find solutions to resolve your issue. You will also find that other people are experiencing similar problems in the world and you are not alone. If you feel that you have no one to talk to, there is always the VA crisis hotline, which is strictly anonymous, 1-800-273-8255. This is a great resource to talk to people about anything in a time of need.   Hobbies Hobbies have the potential of bringing pleasure into our lives. Hobbies provide an outlet from daily stressors that can keep us from getting burned out in our jobs. They also offer numerous health benefits, from lower blood pressure to better physical function, higher positive psychological states, and less memory loss. Further, hobbies may improve our work performance if they improve our decision-making skills, creativity, and confidence. Taking up a hobby to relax and keep your brain focused provides additional skillsets to enhance future performance. Many hobbies can include Reading, Gardening, Shooting, Models, Woodworking, Cars, Motorcycles, Fishing, Photography, etc. Hobbies also have a social aspect to them by sharing your interests with others with shared pursuits. These social interactions can provide a degree of social support we may need.   Video Games In recent wars, research has shown that the younger generation has used video games as a self-directed coping strategy to manage their physical and psychological stressors. This research found that gamers used video games to cope with challenges associated with their military service. Their coping mechanisms included escapism, managing self-diagnosed physical and/or psychological ailments, seeking social support (mainly multiplayer online games), and connecting with civilian life. Those who used video games to cope tended to have served longer, and they reported high escape, fantasy, and skill-development motivations for gameplay. While their favorite game genre was fantasy, military-themed games were a close second. Many of the favorite games involved the military through storylines, gameplay mechanics, or avatar tendencies. While video games were described as vehicles for escape and stress relief, avatars appear to be specific, though uncommon, vehicles for coping related to military identity. Avatars helped gamers negotiate their legitimacy and efficacy, notably after they returned to civilian life.   Education Going to school, no matter what the age, gives you the ability to further your education and stimulate those brain cells in your head. It also allows you to educate yourself on anything you do not understand about your injuries or stress. I find that furthering my education has allowed me to control the effects of my PTSD and TBI by understanding my injuries and applying the concepts I have learned to the symptoms I am experiencing. Sort of self-treating myself. Many of my friends who are Psychologists have asked me to help them with some of their clients (who are veterans) because these veterans did not trust their doctors due to a lack of trust. They did not trust the Psychologist because the veteran did not feel the Psychologist did not understand what the veteran had been through since they had never served in the military. That is why I was brought into the picture I have. My education, combat experience, injuries, and education all make it easy for me to relate to the patient. This is why knowledge is essential for everyone to have when it comes to keeping the brain engaged. The old saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is not valid. You can!   All of these things are only suggestions. There are many other healthy things out there that are both mental and physically stimulating. You may be already engaging in these activities. Good for you! If you are not, then start today. Start slowly and progressively increase, so you do not overexert yourself. These activities are meant to be fun and relaxing.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the SEVENTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss How to make your New Year’s Resolutions Stick. We will also continue our fun facts of UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News, so stick around for so great stuff to come. As January begins, people whisper about their "resolutions." Have you ever followed through with these or even taken the time to write them down? This year is the time to make your resolutions count. Sit down and create your schedule for a New You in the New Year. The biggest challenge to making your 2021 resolutions stick is creating practical ones, to begin with. If you're like the rest of America and eat out four times per week, then you may have a goal to save money and your waistline by kicking the fast-food restaurants to the curb. Instead of making bold statements such as, "I will not eat fast food for 2021," opt for "I will eat fast food no more than once every two weeks." As you achieve this goal, and it seems to become easier to avoid the golden arches, you can then refine your resolution to "I will eat fast food no more than once a month" And so on. When you decide to commit and write down your New You Resolutions this year, consider these helpful tips: Write it Down Avoid committing it to memory. Instead, write it out with pride and post it to remind you of the goals you have set. Put a Number to it Decide how many times a day, week, or month you can do something and shun away from saying "every day." Life happens, and you don't want "every day" to be the cause of you throwing in the towel altogether on your goals. Keep it Realistic Although the idea of losing 10 lbs in a week sounds excellent on infomercials, it's neither realistic nor healthy. Weight loss goals should be based on losing 1 - 2 lbs per week. If you want to lose it and keep it off, then choose to keep your goals real. Enlist Help From Others This is the time to call your best friend and convince him or her to make a resolution with you. Use each other for the purpose of accountability. Call up your most energetic and motivated friends and have a Resolution Party. Seek out the Advice of an Expert If it's exercise goals, seek out a certified Exercise Physiologist, nutrition - meet with a Registered Dietitian, and if it's to organize your life - hire a Personal Organizer or Maid. Set Yourself up for Success Think positively when you set your goals. People have greater success adding to their daily life than taking away. Try this, "I will eat at least one cup of berries three times each week." When you add in fruit and vegetables, you often have less room for chips and dip. Don't Forget to Follow-up When you write down your goals, take the time to write down follow-up dates in your calendar. For weekly goals, check on yourself every three months, and for monthly goals, check on yourself in six months. Last, but not Least, Remember to Reward Treat yourself to a massage, a facial, or a new outfit when your resolution has been met, and your goal has become a habit. New Year's Resolutions are a way for us to touch base with ourselves and look for ways to make improvements. Don't stress over them. Instead, make them positive, make them real, and make them stick. Here's to You in the New Year.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, and Everyone who has returned back to listen in on the SIXTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's podcast, we will discuss More New Year’s Resolutions for Veterans and dig into the topic of Veteran Suicide. We have also will continue to fun facts with our section on UBI (Useful Bits of Information) and Veteran News. Later I will also be discussing my New Book that is coming out soon, My Veteran Blog, and the Podcast Patron/Sponsorship Program, so stick around for so great stuff to come. Welcome back to another month of fun and festivities. I hope the holidays have treated you well. Every year we get to this moment when we tell ourselves we are going to change some things in the coming year to better ourselves. The resolutions, or goals, are often not obtained due to lofty tasks and not being carefully thought out or planned in how they will be executed; like that of a military mission. Some common resolutions that many veterans look to achieve are categories of health, financial, mental health/happiness, and sharing or helping other veterans. I will look deeper into these goals to see if any of these things interest you as a focus of self-improvement in your upcoming year. Health Military veterans have always been healthy-minded individuals that have usually placed it as an essential part of their lives. It is expected that as the years' pass, many veterans forget about their previous military fitness regimens. Unfortunately, aging and life impact us all, but it doesn’t have to be quite so brutal if we take care of ourselves through exercise and eating right. Remember back when you started basic training, and you made (or were forced) to make a resolution to create a healthy routine. This does not mean you have to do 1000 pushup and sit-ups in the middle of the hot sun, but instead, you should start small and build up from there. Vow to make your health and fitness a priority in your life and a part of your daily routine. It is hard to resist the healthy feeling you will have when you are currently ill and overweight from an inactive lifestyle. So ultimately, set a small, realistic goal. Even if you just start walking 15 to 20 minutes a day, then built up from there in moderation, it will be worth it in the end. Do it for yourself. You will find that you will start feeling better and have more energy if you eat right and start taking better care of yourself. Financial Taking care of your body is only one part of the equation; taking care of your wallet is another part. This is an area that is sometimes very difficult for many people. Not everyone has the ability or luxury to save money, but there are a few simple things that you can do with your money to make it stretch further. Finding coupons is an easy way to save your hard-earned cash. Many people do not realize that coupons are everywhere, like the daily newspaper and even online, that applied to nearly every type of purchase. Another way to save more money is through Groupon. This resource allows you to save a lot of money in Las Vegas. Spending time to look up coupons online can save you thousands of dollars a year. There are also many discounts throughout the Las Vegas area as long as you research and ask. If they say “no,” then say respectfully “thank you.” It doesn’t hurt to inquire about a military discount. There are more discounts out there than you think. Some very recognizable ones are Vettix.org. These are free concerts, shows, and event tickets for veterans. Another benefit for veterans is Free National Parks Pass for veterans at www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes for free passes to any national park-like Lake Mead. Another great local resource is lv.houseseats.com to great show seats for local Las Vegas shows. There is a nominal fee for the annual membership, but it is well worth the cost and pays for itself upon the first use. Take the extra time to search for savings, and your wallet will thank you. You will also have fun too. Mental Health / Happiness This should be the easiest one, but for many, it is not. For veterans suffering from PTSD, or poor Mental Wellness, finding happiness can often be extremely challenging. A large percentage of veterans in the United States continue to struggle with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while society continues to look for ways to help these heroes. PTSD is diagnosed as being a mental health issue that results from having experienced or witnessed traumatic events and can result in symptoms of severe anxiety, depression, hypervigilance, insomnia, agitation, flashbacks, isolation, and other harmful side-effects. PTSD can debilitate a veteran's work, family, and social life to a level of being nonfunctional. Unfortunately, PTSD can be linked to the high suicide rate for U.S. veterans. Recent studies by the VA estimate that 20 veterans commit suicide every day. Even though veterans represent only 9% of the population, they make up 18% of Americans who commit suicide. Society has begun to recognize that the U.S. veteran population needs help overcome the residual effects of war. Many times, some veterans need to know that there are many similar people out there that have traveled, and made it through, similar experiences of PTSD. A person living with PTSD never knows when a flashback might occur, or when something may trigger the memories, and what the physical reactions may be. Sometimes keeping up a happy appearance during the bout of depression can be just as exhausting and too much to handle as the original traumatic experience. There is a wide range of 24-hour veteran crisis hotlines available for veterans who find themselves seriously struggling with these challenges. Any veteran can call toll free: 1-800-273-8255 and press “1” to reach someone immediately through the VA’s crisis line; their website also has confidential online chat and text options, as well as help for veterans with hearing impairment. In many cases, just allowing veterans to talk through your emotions or mental state can release them from the moment, and knowing that they are not alone can give them the strength they need. Sharing and helping other veterans Many veterans have an innate sense of duty to help other people. Why not help other veterans or share your time if you sense they are lonely. Take up a new indoor or outdoor hobby with them. Some veterans who are experiencing specific symptoms of PTSD – repetitive thoughts, racing mind, sensitivity to certain trigger noises, anxiety from being in crowds – can benefit from the peace acquired from hobbies. There is a wide range of hobbies and organizations that solely exist to help give veterans the chance to learn a new activity to quiet and heal the mind. Another great way of sharing is getting involved with dog adoption agencies that are involved with veterans. Dogs help offer the benefit of companionship without any judgments or expectations to veterans who are challenged with the isolation and irritability from PTSD. Dogs are naturally vigilant and help remove that anxiety from a veteran who is experiencing difficulty with sleep. Most pets enjoy giving, receiving affection, and are naturally soothing. Dogs also are dependent on their owners, making them the main reason for a veteran to hold on, knowing they need to care for their pet in the future. Whether a veteran requires a highly-trained dog that can detect and react to signs of severe PTSD or a simple companion dog that is always there to hang out, there are specific programs that can help veterans, typically at little or no cost. This year, we need to resolve to help one another find the happiest of times. If you know a veteran who is suffering from loss or mental health issues, get help immediately. Every day is precious and being mentally fit and happier is imperative. Sharing this information can also bring joy to others. If you know a veteran that needs some extra attention, help them out. Extending a helping hand, or paying it forward, makes the world a better place, and brings happiness to the heart. Hopefully, this past year has brought you some great fun and memories. I hope and wish that the upcoming year will bring even better ones. Have a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. Veteran Suicide – A Very Real and Serious Issue For nearly a decade, the veteran community has called for action by our nation’s leaders to respond to the 20 veterans a day suicidal rate. The issue of veteran suicide is now its conversation in media coverage, national conversation, and a surge of government support. Yet, the problem of suicide continues. According to recent VA data, post-9/11 veterans between ages 18 to 34 have the highest rate of suicide. Though not always an indicator of suicide, mental health injuries continue to impact the post-9/11 generation. Surprisingly, 65% reported PTSD, and 58% anxiety, and 56% depression. The nation and VA continue struggling with mental health care and providers’ demands, two of the top VA staffing shortages. There has been some progress. In mental health injuries, 3 in 4 are seeking care for their injury. Over the past few years, increased progress has been made in the realm of suicide prevention and mental health. The VA’s plan for transitioning veterans’ targets those in the post-9/11 population as an increased risk of suicide and engage them before the moment of crisis. The VA has leveraged telemental health care to expand its reach and predictive analytics to target the top 0.1% of veterans at risk for suicide. According to a recently released report by the Department of Veterans Affairs veterans’ suicide rate ticked upwards recently despite increased public attention and funding on this problem. However, the latest data still does not represent the present conditions. According to mental health experts, this ongoing coronavirus pandemic may cause larger increases in the rates of mental distress and self-harm among veterans. Approximately from 2005 to 2018, the overall suicide rate has remained mostly unchanged, between 17 and 18 veterans a day. This rate is about 1.5 times that of the civilian population, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Among veterans, suicide rates remain about the same as the civilian U.S. population, but both are rising. Recent studies have announced that 325 active-duty members died by suicide in 2018, 40 more than in 2017, which has been the highest number since data started to be collected in 2001. Nobody knows why suicide rates continue to climb. Numerous public figures and awareness campaigns in recent years have quoted the figure of “20 or 22 a day” in reference to veterans’ suicide, but VA officials clarified that this estimate includes active-duty troops, guardsmen, and reservists. Many fault demographics—85 percent of the veterans are male, and men die by suicide more often than women. But we also know that even female veterans die by suicide at a higher rate than civilians. In the 2019 VA suicide prevention annual report, women veterans’ suicide rate was 2.2 times greater than that of civilian women. In addition to the demographics, factors of insomnia, depression, anxiety, sexual victimization, gun ownership, and substance use disorders also appear to contribute to suicidal risk. Older veterans also cope with aging, stress, or lingering effects of their military service that has never been addressed from the past, while many recently discharged veterans seem to have trouble with their relationships or transitioning challenges back to civilian life. Now, psychologists within and outside the VA are leading efforts to improve suicide risk assessment and research to better understand and prevent veteran suicide. They are also developing and piloting interventions at both individual and community levels to respond to this deadly issue. The recently released figures show that veterans who have died by suicide in 2018 were 6,435, up less than half a percent over the total veterans’ population. By comparison, there have been 7,032 troop deaths in conflict zones since 9/11, according to Defense Department statistics. Veterans suicides made up approximately 14 percent of the total suicides in America in 2018. In recent years, VA officials have emphasized that mental health challenges and suicidal thoughts are not specific to the veterans’ community. Findings highlighted the increasing problem of suicide among U.S. civilian adults and veterans and the need for suicide risk mitigation efforts. Despite the lack of general progress in suicide prevention among veterans, some improvements have been occurring. Data shows that the rate of suicide among veterans who have used VA health services has decreased, and it is an encouraging sign that the department continues to learn as its works and cares for veterans. The suicide rate among veterans who receive VA care has decreased by about 2.4 percent from 2017 to 2018. Data has shown that suicide is indeed preventable through clinical and community-based prevention interventions, along with research and surveillance within the VA. Although this report explains that suicide is preventable, suicide prevention is exceptionally complex. Recently, Senate lawmakers passed a package of nine VA-themed bills to improve the department’s suicide prevention efforts. However, new incentives for the safe storage of firearms among veterans were proposed. A VA suicide report shows that firearms were involved in more than 68 percent of veterans suicides in 2018 compared to 48 percent of the rest of the American population. A recent statistic has been widely quoted in the veteran community that highlights “22 veterans a day” committing suicide. It is a profoundly troubling statistic and has galvanized the veteran movement, both from inside the veteran communities and outside, to bring about a wide range of programming nationwide. The statistic, however, is widely misrepresented and misunderstood. This statement — 22 veterans a day commit suicide — while widely advertised by politicians, media outlets, veterans service organizations comes from the VA’s 2012 Suicide Data Report, which examined the deaths of 21 states from 1999 to 2011. The report found that the estimated number of veterans was compared from a sample number of states, and evidence was uncertain in veteran identifiers on U.S. death certificates. An example shows that veteran suicides’ average age was nearly 60 years old, not representative of the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans’ generation. A more current study surveyed 1.3 million veterans discharged between 2001 and 2009, discovering 1650 deployed veterans and 7703 non-deployed veteran deaths. Three hundred fifty-one of those were suicides among deployed veterans, and 1517 were suicides among non-deployed veterans. So, over nine years, there was one veteran suicide a day. Although veterans have a suicide rate 50 percent higher than those who have never served, the rate of suicide was slightly higher among veterans who never deployed, which suggests that these causes extend beyond the trauma of war. Coming home from war or merely transitioning from the military can be difficult. Various state and federal systems are set up to deal with this transition, how, ever cannot meet the need. Many people think that Veterans Affairs benefits programs like medical care, the G.I. Bill, the VA Home Loan, etc. are not helpful; however, they are. But, for the current generation of veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, the suicide rate is closer to probably one a day and most likely occurs within the first three years of return. While this is still very troubling, it definitely is not 22. Although additional steps are needed to bridge the gap created by those who serve and those who have not, providing support for veterans to integrate back into their families and communities requires robust public-private partnerships. The veterans and the communities they live in are both responsible for bridging these gaps. The challenges of adjustment to transition, post-traumatic stress (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and physical disabilities need to be addressed mainly as these things result in barriers in education, health care, employment, and overall individual well-being. Overall, the majority of these needs are being met by combining different veteran-serving nonprofits and VA support; however, many veterans do not know how to navigate this process. Unfortunately, there are still visible gaps in the system. The veteran advocacy community needs to tailor our programs, especially in preventing suicides, to respond to this concerning data. One suicide is one suicide too many. Effective programs to help service members, veterans, and families transition to a positive life after service are necessary. Another requirement is promoting supportive community relationships for veterans. We need to be developing programs specifically to address veterans’ needs while maintaining preventative care for recently returned veterans. As veterans, we all pride ourselves on not making an emotional decision but the right decision. We should have the same commitment with veterans, which means we need to act within the framework of facts — advocacy and programming. Inadvertently, we are preying on a well-intentioned public by citing a misleading statistic to receive financial support, and that is not right. As veterans, we are far more resilient than we give ourselves credit. If we do our jobs and extend a helping hand to our fellow veterans, we can reduce that suicide rate and ensure our fellow veterans avoid despair in the future. Screening and Evaluation Expansion The VA started a universal screening for suicide risk in all primary-care settings beginning in October 2018 and has conducted over 3.8 million veteran screenings for suicide. The screening protocol has three parts: The first part consists of primary screening for suicide risk using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, typically conducted by a registered nurse. If that screening indicates a positive result, the nurse will handoff the veteran to the primary-care provider to conduct a secondary screening utilizing the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale. If that screening is positive, then a comprehensive suicide risk evaluation is conducted by the primary care provider. Another strategy deployed by the VA to help identify veterans at risk is REACH VET, a computer-based statistical risk algorithm that flags veterans based on their electronic health records. The program aims to identify and allow for preemptive care and support for veterans, usually before an individual even develops suicidal thoughts. Once a veteran has been recognized by REACH VET, the veteran’s VA mental health specialist calls to check up on them and conduct an additional evaluation to help determine any enhanced care is needed. Promising interventions After veterans at risk for suicide have been identified, the next step is to offer effective interventions. Over the past ten years, researchers have found that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can reduce suicidal thoughts and behavior for veterans at risk. But limitations of these psychotherapy approaches is that they require multiple sessions and are not easily implemented. To get more direct care to these patients, a 20- to 40­-minute intervention called the Safety Planning Intervention, designed to provide veterans with different coping strategies, reduce access to potential suicide methods like firearms and lethal medications, and help them establish follow-up treatment. The research found that veterans who received this intervention were 45 percent less likely to attempt suicide with a safety plan in place for veterans. Other promising VA suicide prevention interventions focus on technology to help patients at risk for suicide. A smartphone app has shown success in increasing the veterans’ coping abilities with unpleasant thoughts and emotions. The Virtual Hope Box app is modeled after CBT methodology that uses a physical box containing images that remind patients of positive experiences, people who care about them, reasons for living, or coping resources. Users can upload personal photos, videos, songs, and quotes; complete relaxation exercises, puzzles, and guided meditations; additional tools include coping mechanisms, including self-created cards and a phone contact list. One of the essential aspects of suicide prevention among veterans is ensuring ongoing access to mental health care is available, particularly during transition times, when suicide risk can be higher. A unique way the military is working to ensure veterans have constant access to quality mental health care through its inTransition program, which offers expert coaching and assistance to find a new mental health provider for veterans. The program was created to ensure a good handoff between mental health providers when veterans are transitioning. During the initial months after separation from the military, there is an increased risk to psychological health. That is why inTransition targets service members receiving psychological care in the 12 months before their military transition. All veterans are eligible for the program, and inTransition will find any local veteran care, even in the absence of VA. Even though the program is new, results are beginning to show successful increases in the veteran transition to new mental health providers. Focusing on lethal means safety While much of the VA’s efforts around preventing suicide focus on identifying and treating mental health issues, some experts point to the preventative measure surrounding firearms. Research shows that around 70% of military suicides involve firearms, compared with approximately 50% of suicides in the U.S. general population. The military is more likely to own firearms and knows how to use them and that they are more likely to use firearms for the purpose of suicidal behavior as compared with the general population An example can be shown that the firearm storage practices of more than 1,600 active-duty personnel from 2015 and 2018 at military primary-care facilities across the U.S. They found that nearly 36% of participants reported owning a firearm, but less than a third of those said their firearms were safely stored. About half indicated their firearms were not safely stored. More effort is needed to encourage veterans to keep their firearms safely. Findings from nonmilitary populations suggest this is an additional way to reduce suicide risk. Locking up a gun will not prevent an argument with a spouse or overwhelming stress, but it could reduce the likelihood of these circumstances resulting in death. The Veterans Health Administration is educating clinicians about the importance of asking veterans about firearms and whether they are safely stored, educating veterans about having friends restrict their firearms access during stressful times. Using communities as support Psychologists are looking for ways to prevent military suicides by looking for outside of military solutions. According to the 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, the suicide rate of veterans receiving recent VA care increased by 1.3%, while the suicide rate among veterans who were not receiving current VA care increased by 11.8%. Another effort to provide a greater understanding of the role that communities play in their prevention of suicide is Operation Deep Dive. The study examines the community-based factors involved in suicide among veterans. It has developed a “sociocultural death investigation” tool to be used by researchers to conduct interviews with family members, colleagues, and friends of deceased veterans to better understand the lives of veterans who recently died by suicide. The goal is to identify the opportunities of prevention before a veteran enters any suicide situation. Operation Deep Dive ultimately looks to where the community might have prevention points to divert an individual on the trajectory to suicidal death. Hopefully this information has increased your knowledge on this serious social issue. If you a veteran in need or you know of a veteran who needs help please use the information below to help them. Veterans experiencing any mental health emergency should contact the Veteran Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and select option 1 for VA staff personnel. Veterans or their family members can also text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance.   References: Bare, S. (2015). The Truth About 22 Veteran Suicides A Day. Task and Purpose. Retrieved From https://taskandpurpose.com/support/truth-22-veteran-suicides-day/ Novotney, A. (2020). Stopping military and veteran suicides. American Psychological Association (APA). Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/01/ce-corner-suicide Shane, L. (2020). Suicide Rate Among Veterans Up Again Slightly Despite Focus on Prevention Efforts. Military Times. Retrieved from https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/11/12/suicide-rate-among-veterans-up-again-slightly-despite-focus-on-prevention-efforts/ Image provided by Bare, S. (2015). The Truth About 22 Veteran Suicides A Day. Task and Purpose. Retrieved From https://taskandpurpose.com/support/truth-22-veteran-suicides-day/

Good Morning Veterans, Family, Friends, and Everyone else who wants to listen in on the Veteran Doctor Podcast's FIFTH EPISODE. On this week's podcast, we will discuss 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Veterans. We have included some new features and content in this podcast so stick around. As we look into the next decade, I ask you to take some time to make some resolutions to help improve yourself both mentally and physically. Unfortunately, resolutions are challenging for many of us. If it takes you a whole year to resolve something that could significantly improve your life, do you think it will be easy to fix? I’m guessing probably not; otherwise, you would have started already and wouldn’t need a significant holiday to make you make a life-changing plan. Let’s face it, New Year’s resolutions are almost useless unless we apply them. In fact, studies reveal, the percentage of Americans who keep their New Year’s resolutions is in the single digits. But the process of developing resolutions can be useful and instructive when it causes us to think. No one can speak for all veterans, and I am not pretending to do so here. Nor am I attempting to tell anyone what to do; in fact, most of us probably do most of these things on this list already. But for the next year, and hopefully longer, I am committing to myself to live by each one of these resolutions. And if you are a veteran, I hope you will so too.   1) I will tell my story. Every Veteran’s story needs to be told. Sharing is therapeutic as it helps repair the mental wounds of war and keeps others informed about the battles we fight for them. These stories help encourage and inspire the next generation to support and defend the Constitution and our great nation. But I will ensure to tell my stories the right way and keep true faith in my country and to my fellow veterans.   2) I will not act entitled or in a manner as if the world owes me for my service. The world does not owe me anything simply because I am a veteran. All I want is a fair shake and the benefits I was promised as first enlisted in the military. Although appreciated, I do not feel entitled to expressions of gratitude for my service. I will not go live life with a chip on my shoulder, expecting that I deserve “more respect” simply because I had the privilege of serving my country.   3) I will help my fellow veterans when, where, and as much as I can. Veterans should strive to help each other. I will patronize other veterans’ businesses, and if I own my own business, I will employ veterans as a priority. I will support charities that provide a meaningful benefit to veterans. When appropriate, I will support veterans seeking public office. More importantly than any of the rest, I will give a shoulder, or an ear, or a hand up for any veteran who needs it.   4) I will ask for help when I need it. Twenty-two veterans A DAY committed suicide in 2015. That number, unfortunately, is not improving. I do know that I will NOT be one of them. I will not quit on myself, my country, or my fellow veterans, nor will I allow other veterans to do so. I will attack life with the same vigor I attacked the enemies of our country. I will not defeat myself.   5) I will check in with my buddy’s Gold Star family. I know it’s hard, I know it can be awkward, but it’s essential to look in on the families of our fallen. Pick up the phone and/or make a visit; it means so much to families to know that they are not alone and their loved ones are not forgotten.   6) I will remain engaged with my fellow citizens and set an example as a responsible citizen. The military is the most respected institution in the United States, and I will help keep it that way. I will live by the example of being responsible for citizenship and hold all fellow veterans to set the same standard.   7) I will always be proud of who I am, what I’ve done, and those who stood beside me. I don’t need to wait for history to judge whether my actions in servicing our country were right or wrong. I know in my heart that I did the right thing, and I’m proud to have carried the flag of our nation into battle on behalf of her people. I am equally proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with America in the greatest country on Earth.   8) I will help write the next chapter of our nation’s history. America needs its veterans in a time of great social and political divisiveness, economic crisis, poor national leadership, and simmering anger, perhaps now more than ever before. As the veterans of the Revolution emerged to lead the nation, modern veterans must put their leadership, team spirit, ingenuity, selfless service, and willingness to take risks to work for this nation. I will make assimilation and reintegration a priority; I will NOT sit quietly in the shadows and complain about my country's condition and not do anything about it. I will lead by example.   9) I will take care of myself both physically and mentally. I will improve my physical and mental health to help me lose a few of those unwanted pounds and gain some energy that has disappeared. This task is difficult with my busy schedule, but if I allocate 30 minutes a day at first, then keep increasing this time accordingly, my health will improve, and visible results should be seen. Better health makes a happier veteran.   10) I will take care of myself financially. I will improve my financial fitness by paying bills off and improving my credit score throughout the year. I will also strengthen my savings account to ensure I have a goal of three-times my monthly income saved for emergencies. Better finances make fewer worries.   These are just a few resolutions that by no means are set for everyone to follow. You may have your own you want to follow or may wish to add to these. The overall goal is to improve your life in the upcoming year to prosper both physically and mentally. Happy New Year, everyone. Let’s do our part to make this year better than any other year.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, Friends, and Everyone else who wants to listen in on the Veteran Doctor Podcast's FOURTH EPISODE. On this week's podcast, we will discuss how to deal with PTSD during the holidays. Coping with PTSD can genuinely be difficult during the holidays. Many people sometimes feel the burdens of stress during this time of year. Typical holiday stress can cause you to experience PTSD-related symptoms such as overstimulation, depression, or anxiety. You can still learn coping strategies that can help you enjoy the holidays. Manage your PTSD carefully during the holiday season by planning ahead, finding creative and healthy ways to deal with stress, and choosing thoughtful visits with family and friends. Planning Ahead Have Realistic Expectations. Popular culture romanticizes that the holidays are a time when the world is perfect and everything right, but for many, the reality is very different.  November and December can be an emotional and financially stressful time, especially if you are dealing with PTSD. Accept the fact that the holidays may never feel the same as it did before your trauma occurred, and do not expect that the holidays will make your stress, sadness, and negative memories go away. Ensure that you consider the triggers that may set off your physiological, mental, and behavioral reactions. These triggers might include being around certain people, crowded stores, lights, or other aspects of the holidays. Talk To The People Who Are Close To You. Let your family and friends know why the holidays are difficult for you and what they can do to help you out. If any aspects of the holiday season may upset you, give them advance notice. Being honest can help your loved ones understand and know how to support you. Many people do not understand PTSD. If you do not explain how you are feeling to them, they may take it personally if you are not happy or do not want to celebrate. Talk to the people you trust. If a friend or a family member has a history of being unsupportive, consider why. Perhaps they simply do not understand PTSD. This can be potentially resolved by having a supportive family member or friend discuss the effects of PTSD on individuals during the holidays. Think About Your Limits. You know yourself and your needs the best. Before the holidays, give some thought to what you can and cannot handle. Do not feel obligated to participate in any celebrations or rituals that will stress you out or bring back painful memories. It is not your responsibility to make other people happy at the cost of your mental health. Communicate Your Boundaries to Others. Decide which events and traditions you can participate in during the holidays and which ones you would rather avoid. Consider factors like the event's duration, who will be there, and what you will be expected to do. Ensure that your family and friends know to eliminate any last-minute surprises. If you are uncomfortable telling someone why you will not be at a gathering, it is OK just to say you cannot make it. Finding Coping Strategies Know Your Triggers. Triggers are circumstances that aggravate PTSD symptoms, and they are usually different for everyone due to their individual experience and perception of their trauma. Anything can be a trigger, including people, dates, locations, sounds, and even smells. Being aware of your individual triggers will help you avoid them until you can develop coping strategies. If you are not sure of what your triggers are, keep track of the places, events, and patterns that make your PTSD symptoms worse. Log any notes in a journal to help you remember what to avoid or anticipate. Use Grounding Techniques. Grounding is the practice of using focus and the physical world that surrounds you. It helps calm you down and prevent flashbacks in situations of stress. Showering, exercising, and holding a comforting object are several ways you can ground yourself. While at home, practice using grounding techniques when you feel anxious. Try splashing some water on your face, count to 20 slowly while taking deep breaths, or name the different smells, colors, or shapes you see in the environments around you. All of these techniques help you focus on your physical surroundings. You will quickly discover which ones work best for you at home or away in public. Find Ways To Relax. Feeling physically or mentally stressed makes it challenging to cope with stressful stimuli. Let go of your stress by exercising relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, meditation, and muscle relaxation are techniques that can help you let go of your physical tension. To help relieve mental stress, try writing in a journal or meditating. Relaxation is very subjective to the individual who is experiencing it. Many feel it may translate to taking a lighting a scented candle, watching a fire, a 20-minute nap, or taking a relaxing bath. Choose a few different activities that you can do at home and on-the-go that can help you stay calm and relaxed. Relaxation techniques combat stress the best when they are used routinely. It is also helpful to create a stress-relief toolkit to take with you when visiting family, on vacation, or to employ the night before a big event at work. Meditation is a great way to help with relaxation, and it can even help your body release beneficial chemicals, such as oxytocin, endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. The same chemicals that promote a sense of happiness and well-being. So, you may want to consider making meditation a part of your daily routine during the holidays too. Volunteer Your Time. It is very therapeutic for many people with PTSD to spend part of their holiday helping other people who are having difficulties. Consider contributing your time at a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or shelter for abused women. If you feel lonely or have lost your holiday spirit, you may find that volunteering may be incredibly beneficial. Interacting with Friends and Family Spend Time with People Who Support and Love You. When you are dealing with PTSD, social support can make a huge difference in how well your holidays end up. Seek out family and friends who try to understand your condition and care about you. Arrange your holiday schedule to minimize the amount of time you spend around unsupportive and stressful people. Create New Rituals. If traditional holiday celebrations are painful or difficult, you can still find different ways to make the holidays meaningful. Develop a new tradition that let you honor the season without causing situations that trigger your past trauma. This will help you heal and come to appreciate the holidays all over again. New traditions could include volunteer work, new food, quiet one-on-one visits with friends and family, or rituals designed to give you closure from your trauma. Bring A Grounding Activity to Family Gatherings. Family holiday parties can be noisy, crowded, and chaotic. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, bring something small to keep you active to help keep you centered and in the present moment. Try bringing a Rubik’s cube, a knitting project, a game, or a jigsaw puzzle. Avoid Drinking Too Much Alcohol. When you are drunk, you might be in the state of mind to use the proper coping strategies in stressful situations. PTSD also puts you at an increased risk for alcohol addiction. Drink reasonably, or even better, avoid alcohol altogether. Additionally, alcohol interferes with SSRI medications, which are commonly prescribed for PTSD. Take Breaks Often or Leave Early. If you start to feel anxious, do not hesitate to take a quick break. Find a quiet place where you can read, meditate, or breathe deeply for a few minutes. If you are still finding it difficult to relax, leaving early may be the best way to keep yourself from getting too anxious. If you are at a family gathering with your spouse, consider taking two cars so you can leave early, just in case if needed.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, Friends, and Everyone else who wants to listen in on the THIRD EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor Podcast. My name is John and I will be your Host. On this week’s Podcast, we will be discussing the helping veterans cope with PTSD during the holidays & helping idea. The winter holiday season is regarded by many as a wonderful time of the year. Consequently, for many veterans, this time of the year is often filled with non-celebratory memories from past experiences. Add PTSD to the mix – 11-20% of Veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF) have PTSD in a given year – this making the “season to be jolly” downright challenging. The holidays can be a painful reminder of past times when life seemed better. Large groups of family and friends are often part of the holiday festivities, but this and other things may be stressful for someone with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Groups of people and friends may tire a person out or make him, or her feel overwhelmed. People may feel pressure to join family activities when they’re not up for it or believe they must act happy when they’re not. People with PTSD may already find it challenging to get enough sleep or relax, and these added pressures can worsen those symptoms. Veterans with PTSD may be susceptible to losses around the holiday. Veterans and military families, in particular, tend to remember at the holidays those who did not make it home from war. They may not know how to celebrate the holidays, knowing those fallen heroes are no longer present. There may also be recent losses: the death of a loved one, an emotional divorce, or separation from one’s children. All of these circumstances may cause someone to feel melancholy about memories of holidays past. Family and friends might ask the Veteran questions about his or her life or about PTSD. The person with PTSD may not feel comfortable answering these questions, but they must keep in mind that their family may feel some of the same pressures and may only be asking because they have a genuine concern for their wellbeing. The holiday gathering may also be one of the few times family or friends can physically see the person with PTSD, and they may feel it is more appropriate they ask such questions in person rather than over the phone or online because they may think that is too impersonal. In either case, the person with PTSD has the power and right not to answer any questions.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, Friends, and Everyone else who wants to listen in on the SECOND EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor Podcast. My name is Dr. John Heintzelman and I am your host and the founder of the Veteran Doctor. So first off some of you are probably wondering why is this podcast called Veteran Doctor? Great Question. So, you are probably wondering, is he really a Doctor? Yes, I actually am! Not in the Medical sense, but I have a Ph.D. So, my academic resume includes a Master’s degree in Sports and Performance Psychology and a Doctorate in Psychology where my specialty lies in Research. I also am a retired Army Airborne Infantry Veteran with 22 years of service. So, Veteran Doctor kind of fits, and as you keep listening you will see how it all works out.                             On this week’s Podcast, we will be discussing the holidays and veterans. During this time of year, it is always a wonderful time for most people, but for many, it can be a stressful and conflicting time due to past events in their lives. Many veterans have deployed multiple times during the holidays, and currently, many soldiers are deployed during this holiday season. Many experience an array of emotions during this time of year from injuries in combat during the holiday period. So, it is good to try to think of the holidays with whimsical feelings of warmth, comfort, and good cheer to help compensate for the negative experiences of the past. How is this done, you ask? It is not very easy, but there are many ways in doing so. Being with family is a great way to help distract these negative feelings. The holidays offer a unique opportunity for families to connect and spend quality time together having fun, both locally and away from home. Another way is to decorate the house for Christmas both inside and outside to spread the good cheer to other neighbors. This can become infectiously in the neighborhood and fun for everyone if you do it in a creative and constructive manner. Another great way is to volunteer or donate to a veteran’s organization. During this time of year, they have Christmas Tree Wish Lists, Christmas Dinners, Shelters, and other events that need help to provide for veterans and their families who are having either tough times or maybe experiencing stress from deployments overseas. That brings up another subject of the Soldiers who are currently deployed. Do not forget about them. We were those guys too at one time in the past. We know how it feels to be deployed during the holidays. They need words of encouragement from people who have been there and can relate to what they are going through. Here are some helpful tips in letter writing to deployed service members. This is both therapeutic for them and well as it is for you.

Good Morning Veterans, Family, Friends, and Everyone else who wants to participate in the FIRST EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor Podcast. My name is Dr. John Heintzelman and I am your host and the founder of this podcast. So first off some of you are probably wondering why is this podcast called Veteran Doctor? Great Question. Yes, I actually am a Doctor! Not in the Medical MD sense, but I have a Ph.D. So, my academic resume includes a Master’s degree in Sports and Performance Psychology and a Doctorate in Psychology where my specialty is in Research. I also am a retired Army Airborne Infantry Veteran with 22 years of service. So, Veteran Doctor kind of fits and you will see later how it becomes very appropriate. To give you an agenda on today’s podcast, I would like to introduce you to who I am, my history and military background, how I got here, what this podcast is about and its purpose, other veteran projects, this podcast’s norms, and standards, welcoming feedback and ideas for new episodes, future podcast schedule, and the conclusion.