VetServe 2022: Share Your Service Success Stories Below!

i am a veteran of Korea and Vet Nam I was assign to the CIA as a door Gunner on their helicopter, yes the CIA had 2 helicopters in each agency I was wounded and was nominated for the DSC and 3 Purple hearts AMONG OTHER MEDALS because I was with the CIA I never received any medals for Viiet Nam. The CIA always denied that they had helicopters. That was in 1065. I was an Army soldier I had jumped out of the helicopter to save a Warren Officer whom was injured. You can read thhis in the Amvets annual book.

I maintain a healthy mental emotional awareness spirit; in accordance of military retired status. Keeping my lifetime training knowledge; to favor my family security, stability and pursuit of happiness. Also active member of The Presidential Prayer Team; addressing thru prayer the National Security Defense Program and Homeland Security Vision. God Bless America / In God We Trust / The Home of the Brave / "So God Help Us to continue to be part of the blessing; to serve in the capacity of retired warriors". Thank You God and Nation for the privilege's to serve for good and justice. Proud warrior of God and Airman (Air Force warrior).

I volunteered at every duty station I was assigned to. What I volunteered in was Emergency Medicine I was a paramedic with every volunteer rescue squad close to the base. I was already a volunteer before joining the navy as a corpsman. I volunteered when I was stationed at Portsmouth Naval Hospital with Bennett’s Creek rescue squad. When I was stationed at Camp Lejeune, I volunteered with Onslow County EMS. When I was stationed at Quantico medical clinic, I volunteered with Rockhill volunteer rescue squad and Stafford Volunteer Rescue squad. While I was running with Rockhill I served as both the First and Second Lieutenant for several years.

There is a Vet- to-Vet service operating, in New Hampshire and Vermont anyway. I am a volunteer for Southeastern Vermont's Senior Solutions, a service for elderly stay-at-homes who need help managing their lives - and need some companionship to stay connected to the community. Vet to Vet helps us find the veterans along those people, and we do the same for Vet to Vet.

I took over a failed non-profit serving veterans struggling with substance abuse issues. Combining America's Homeless Veterans with DandA Detox I was able to secure housing, support, workplace development, substance abuse detox, treatment and sober living. Countless guys have told me, "You saved my life when you saved DandA Detox." Visit Sacramentorecovery.com for more information and AHVets.org to join us.

I became a trained Peer support specialist. Got a counseling degree and have been State Certified. For the past 25 years I have facilitated Vet to Vet Cognitive processing therapy meetings every week at the Martinsburg, Wv. VHA. When Covid hit everything was shut down by the VHA. 35 PTSD outpatients were kicked to the curb. It has been two and a half years now, and still nothing from the VHA. I started seeing 15 to 30 Veterans at a private location after one 70-year-old Veteran seeking help at the Hope Ctr. Mentel health facility committed SUICIDE In the parking lot. I travel 84 miles every Wednesday to meet with my Brothers.
Sgt, S C Hummer.

Hello! I am the Peer Services Manager for the Military Veteran Peer Network which a state-wide network composed of TVC- Certified Peer Service Coordinators and trained peer-volunteers who serve veterans, service members and their families. We have plenty of volunteer opportunities available and welcome all who want to continue to serve. Please contact me if you would like to get connected to your local Peer Services Coordinator or access http://www.milvetpeer.net to learn more.

Several local veterans and myself are involved with religious Paschal mystery 3 day retreats which have simular or identical formats. (REC Residence Encourting christ a jail ministy, TEC Together Encountering Christ, TEC Teans encounter christ, and Koinonia (simular for adults). All these retreats are a spin off from the original "Cursillo" retreats. I've also heard of one called "Walk to Emmaus"

Please note that in this posting I will use PTS since the present thought is that PTS is not a "Disorder" These symptoms are the body's natural response to the stressor. The term "Disorder" has a negative tone to it.
We noticed that the format of a regular retreat could be intimidating to veterans with PTS because of the crowds and other factors so we designed one for Veterans with PTS which was also support dog friendly. We coordinated with a veterans support organization called "Eagles healing Nest". By keeping the number of candidates small: about 12-20 and having almost all the team members veterans it was made welcoming and easier for everyone to relate. A few of the team members were experienced counselors from the Eagles nest.

One of the veterans had tried a regular TEC retreat but left early because the environment was too stressful. This veteran not only enjoyed the VET (Veterans Encountering Christ), but came back to work as a musician in future retreats.

We have not been able to hold these retreats for quite awhile now, but I believe they were helpful.
It is important that we remember our veterans and others with PTS and arrange options for them when developing programs. Remember that person in social settings who holds back, sits alone, or may seem a little off to us, may have PTS. Let's make more things accessible to them.

I established a 420 Cannabis Club in our retirement community and we have over 293 members seeking relief from PTSD and Opiate addiction.

Toys For Tots. Every year around July, we start getting primed for the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys For Tots campaign. Our goal is for every child to have a Christmas. I’ve dedicated one of my M35A2’s to support anything and everything the local county organization may need in the way of support. We gather toys from events, the annual Christmas parade and set them up for handing them out to the kids. Last year we collected 12800 toys, 1835 books, 8300 stocking stuffers, and collected $13,727.00. We purchased 2805 toys, 30 books and 833 stocking stuffers.
We distributed 17343 toys to 1600 children from 400 families.