Finding Help in Unexpected Places

When treating veterans for mental disabilities, common remedies are medication or therapy sessions. What many people do not realize is that there are many other ways to help individuals who are dealing with disabilities like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Holistic health is an extremely broad field that focuses on the individual and what works best for them. The methods used by those in personal development is exactly what I am referring to. These different forms vary depending on what gives the individual peace and relaxation, but they include meditation, physical activities/exercise, eating habits, and other activities that benefits the individual.

The Horses and Heroes program falls right under this category. Ten veterans who are a part of this program make the trip from the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center to Painted Acres Farm in Greenfield Twp. to work with their horses. Through working with the animals, the veterans not only help the horses with grooming, bathing, and bonding but the horses also help them.

Horses are very therapeutic animals that are very in touch with human emotions and body language. These animals are like mirrors to the individuals who are around them. If you have a bad attitude they will give you attitude right back, or if you are anxious they will be anxious as well. It is this responsive quality that make them the perfect candidates to help veterans.

While they improve, horses also mirror those new emotions and body language enabling veterans to visualize their progress which makes this program so successful. This is just one alternative way of holistic methods. Different things will work better for different people but the important thing is to find what works best for you. Every individual gets stressed out, so they also need a way to unwind, some take to yoga, fishing, or spending time with animals. It is important we provided veterans with holistic health options!

Fight to End Homelessness

Individuals who are homeless either for the long-term or periodically experience ‘chronic homelessness.’ When individuals experience long-term homelessness or are in and out of homelessness that is referred to as chronic homelessness. There are about 57,000 (9%) homeless veterans in the United States. Service men and women who have put their lives on the line for us are now without food and shelter.

Veterans often become homeless because of post traumatic stress disorder, physical disabilities, mental anguish, and other unfortunate effects the service has on people. Leaving military life is difficult and leads some vets to addictions like alcohol or other drugs. The transition from active to non-active is scary. The sudden absence of routine for means vets have to learn a new way to live. For some, the transition to civilian life is insurmountable. The structure and routine that they once lived is now gone, along with individuals that understood exactly what they have done.

These outcomes can have an overwhelming effect on veterans, making it harder for them to find civilian jobs and cope with the stress and toll of the military. This phenomenon is due to a multitude of reasons, including different work culture, a lack of understanding the military, and the assumption that vets are not able to do the work because of acquired disabilities.

When preparing to get out of the military, you must go through multiple steps to prepare for civilian life, like resume writing classes. Those that have served have probably more hands on knowledge than any civilian employee, yet they are still being judged because employers do not or not willing to understand.

This must change. 47% of veterans feel unprepared for their transition to civilian jobs. 77% of employers believe they should explain their job experiences in the military more so they can understand better the relevancies for a civilian hire. By hiring veterans a corporation could benefit from the $140 billion per year the United States spends education and training for those that served.

In order to help fight veteran homelessness employers need to give to our country’s veterans more of a chance. Taking the time to understand military resumes more fully would enable employers to create more diverse and deserving staffs. In addition to employers doing their part, veterans should definitely explain how their experiences in the military make them eligible for a particular job. Actions from both sides will give veterans a much deserved chance at getting hired and it being a more fulfilling job!

http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2014/05/28/veterans-find-military-service-leg-job-market/9695191/