Veteran service organizations Archives

Push To Improve TAP Program Endorsed by Veteran Service Organizations

June 1, 2018/in Military Veteran, Veteran News

Push To Improve TAP Program Endorsed by Veteran Service Organizations

Life after military service can be a smooth transition for some, but for many servicemembers, the struggle is real. That’s why there is the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which aims to get servicemembers ready for their next step in their lives, be it education, employment or entrepreneurship.

TAP reform has been a hot topic on Capitol Hill in recent months. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, introduced The Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William “Bill” Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act of 2018, named for a friend of the congressman’s who committed suicide.

Mulder retired from the Navy in January 2017 after a distinguished twenty-year career as a US Navy SEAL. He was a highly decorated combat veteran with numerous awards throughout multiple overseas deployments. His awards included three Bronze Stars with Valor.

“If we do a better job equipping our servicemen and women on the front end of their transition, we can reduce the number of veterans who struggle with unemployment, homelessness, and suicide. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of intervention,” said Arrington.

The legislation, if passed, would specifically restructure TAP to require servicemembers to choose specific career-oriented tracks that best suit their post-service plans and would require them to take part in one-on-one counseling a year prior to separation.

Furthermore, it would also authorize a five-year pilot program that would provide matching grant funds to community providers that offer wraparound transition services to veterans and transitioning servicemembers.

Finally, the bill would restructure five days of TAP to devote one day for service-specific training, another for employment preparation, two for the service member’s track of choice — either employment, higher education, career and technical training, or entrepreneurship — and the last for a briefing on Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.

The bill has support from Student Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Military Order of the Purple Heart.

The Transition Assistance Program is a joint program administered by the U.S. Departments of Defense, Labor (DoL) and Veterans Affairs (VA).

Memberships in Veteran Service Organizations on the Decline

January 14, 2018/in Military Veteran, Veteran News

legion

By Debbie Gregory.

There appears to be a lack of interest from younger veterans when it comes to joining legacy groups like the AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion.

Membership is certainly on the decline with the deaths of WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans, and as their membership ages and declines, these organizations need young bloods to maintain the political clout they have built up, and they need to be able to “pass the torch” in order to maintain the ground they have gained.

According to the VFW and American Legion, only about 15 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are eligible to join their organizations have done so. Don’t these veterans want to be around other veterans?

Of course they do. So why aren’t veterans from more recent conflicts signing up like their parents and grandparents did?

Perhaps the transitioning servicemembers of the Facebook/Twitter/Snapchat/Instagram generation are gravitating towards the groups that they perceive to be a better fit, such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Mission Continues, and Team Rubicon.

Let’s face it, when most young people think of these groups, they don’t picture many of their peers being present.

So what should the legacy organizations do to reach out and attract younger veterans? First of all, they can communicate via email, vs. snail mail. They can make sure that they are as welcoming to female veterans as they are to male veterans.

Perhaps an updated look with a few flat screen televisions and a fresh coat of paint is in order. They can host events that will attract the younger crowd; out with the Bingo night and in with college fairs, career days, and veteran service officer Q&As.

“A lot of these kids really don’t know what the VFW is,” said one VFW Commander, Robert Webber.

Webber said VFW members reach out to newer/younger veterans every time there is a function or they are out in public.

“We explain to them that we are a family-oriented group and we try to help them,” Webber said. “We have a service officer that can help them with paperwork and medical problems.”

If veterans’ organizations like the VFW and the American Legion want to survive the next twenty years, they need to prioritize women, present a united front pulling from the entire population of veterans and tackle charitable efforts together.

Perhaps if they all joined forces as one group, they would have enough experienced officers, personnel, and funding to tackle their biggest issues. Nobody would be left out of the discussion and everyone would have the ability to help.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, and their families.

Why Younger Vets Are Not Joining Established VSO’s

March 19, 2016/in Military Veteran, Veteran News

By Debbie Gregory.

Why is there a lack of interest from younger veterans when it comes to joining legacy groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion? Could it be that these organizations are waiting for this younger generation of veterans to just walk in and join like their fathers and grandfathers before them? Or perhaps these veterans are looking for community connections that fit their needs, not the needs of older veterans.

As their membership ages and declines, these organizations need young bloods to maintain the political clout they have built up, and they need to be able to “pass the torch” in order to maintain the ground they have gained.

The VFW and American Legion report that only about 15 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are eligible to join have done so. Don’t these veterans want to be around other veterans?

Of course they do.

But these service members are the Facebook/Twitter/Snapchat/Instagram generation, and are gravitating toward groups such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, The Mission Continues, and Team Rubicon.

Younger veterans say the traditional organizations differ in many ways from groups that appeal to them.

To attract younger veterans, these organizations can take a few simple steps that will yield great results. First of all, they can communicate via email, vs. snail mail. They can make sure that they are as welcoming to female veterans as they are to male veterans.

Perhaps an updated look with a few flat screen televisions and a fresh coat of paint is in order. They can host events that will attract the younger crowd; out with the Bingo night and in with college fairs, career days, and veteran service officer Q&As.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, and their families.

Military Connection: Embracing Your Veteran Culture

April 23, 2015/in Archived Blogs

By Joe Silva

So many Veterans today are suffering– alone. Veterans from all eras are struggling from afflictions such as PTSD or a service-connected disability, or from unemployment, underemployment, lack of fulfillment in their civilian lives, and just the general pressures of life.

Military conditioning teaches service members not to share personal problems, to keep things inside, and deal with them on their own. But once they separate, too many Veterans carry on that mentality. While putting aside your problems for the sake of your unit was a necessary sacrifice of your service, it is unhealthy for Veterans to continue to go it alone. That is why Veterans are encouraged to congregate with fellow Vets as much as they can.

U.S. Military Veterans have a suicide rate of 22 per day. In many cases, suicide is seen as the only option for those who feel alone in their struggle. But why feel alone, when your comrades are there, and are probably experiencing many of the same challenges?

Veterans are encouraged to seek community in any way that suits their comfortzone. There are Veteran Service Organizations that offer a sense of Veteran comradery, patriotism, and social belonging. These organizations also exist to assist Veterans with obtaining their benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other government entities. This assistance is free, and does not require the Veteran in need to be a member of their organization. These organizations include: The American Legion, AMVets, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Membership in these organizations can require dues, volunteer work and social commitment. And not every Veteran is willing to dedicate their time energy or money to a club, which is fine. These Veterans are encouraged to still seek out Veteran community in other ways.

One of the most convenient ways to connect with other Veterans is through social media groups. There are dozens of Veteran and service member groups that are both paid member websites or free groups on LinkedIn, Facebook and other sites. Some groups are general, while others can be branch or even command specific. But these groups are a great way to connect with other Veterans who have been through what you’ve been through. Whether you are interested in catching up with your old service buddies to reminisce about the glory days, seeking advice from comrades, or professionally networking, these groups are great for Veterans who don’t want to feel alone.

Believe it or not, Veterans are members of an American culture all their own. This culture has its own values, belief systems language and experiences. Veterans are encouraged not to shrug off their culture, but embrace it. Just like how people feel more at ease with others who share their religion or ethnicity, many Veterans feel more at ease with members of their own Veteran culture.

If you are a Veteran, make sure that you are embracing your culture and connecting with other Veterans.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.