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Veterans have similar concerns after completing their service including job searching and health concerns.

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The most direct way to get help for veterans on the streets is to connect them with the VA hotline.

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A topic I was surprised about was the percentage of likelihood of veterans to become homeless. As covered in other parts of both class and information available to us from daily life, it is very apparent that veterans have a lot of physical, social and psychological issues that make employment difficult. This leads to the 50% higher likelihood of veterans being homeless as opposed to other Americans.

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Veteran suicide is a common concern for the family and healthcare providers. The signs that are not as obvious that we should be aware of are inability to sleep; sleeping all the time; increased alcohol or drug use; feeling trapped; withdrawing from friends, family and/or society; acting recklessly or engaging in risky activities; or dramatic changes in mood to name a few(Veterans affairs, 2009).

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Another topic I chose to learn about during my module studies this semester was suicide in veterans. Some general information for suicide include it being the 10th leading cause of death in the United States for all ages. Females have 3 times more attempts than males but males suicide rate is 4 times higher than females.

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If you are found to have any of the disease mentioned on the VA website you can be eligible for monetary compensation. I realized while studying this topic that there are still gaps in our knowledge as a community about agent orange and its effects on the veterans. My hope is that we continue to research this topic in order to better understand its effects on our veterans, before it's too late.

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Veterans who have been exposed to Agent Orange can have conditions or diseases including but not limited to: Bladder cancer, Chronic B-cell leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, Multiple myeloma, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Prostate cancer, Respiratory cancers, soft tissue sarcomas, AL amyloidosis, Chloracne, Diabetes mellitus type 2, High blood pressure, Hypothyroidism, Ischemic heart disease, Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, Parkinsonism, Peripheral neuropathy, and Porphyria cutanea tarda.

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During my time in the course I spent my focus on Agent Orange as a common concern amongst veterans. Simply put, Agent Orange is a chemical used to clear foliage in the Vietnam War. The main chemical component is dioxin and it mainly caused skin diseases as well as birth defects.

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                           Veteran Common Issues

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                           Veteran Common Issues

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I found out veterans tend to have similar concerns during their service and includes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Military Sexual Trauma, Agent Orange, and Homelessness.

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A lot of veterans utilized tobacco during their service and a majority of them would like to quit (7 out of 10 smoking veterans). Through this I looked into what programs were offered and found one program in particular offered by the VA included smoking cessation medication in tandem with counseling.

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Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

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There are plenty of programs to help veterans get started in jobs, especially for those who are trying entrepreneurship. There are tons of programs including Entrepreneurship bootcamp for veterans (EBV) accelerate, Boots to Business, Veteran edge, Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE), Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans’ Families (EBV-F), EBV Spark, R.I.S.E., and many more.

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D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families

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Entrepreneurship - D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families

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The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University is committed to supporting veterans and their families as they navigate their entrepreneurial journey. For more than a decade, the IVMF has served over 120,000 veterans and we are just getting started.

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Two very big facts I did not know about women veterans.
1. They are very diverse racially and ethnically.
2. They are rapidly growing in the veteran population

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This article has some of the differences of working with veterans as patients in the healthcare field.

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The military has a unique culture that shapes the actions and personalities of the veterans even after they end their service. One example is the suppression of emotion which can be a cause for difficulty for the provider to get information of the injury or condition.

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Family of veterans including spouse and kids also receive plenty of benefits. One of the programs offered is Joining forces. Their mission statement includes programs for employment, child education and health.

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"We have an all-volunteer force-and it continues only because generations of Americans see the honor, dignity, and patriotism of military service. How can we hope to keep our military strong if we don't give our families, survivors, and caregivers what they need to thrive? That's what Joining Forces is about."
FIRST LADY JILL BIDEN, AT A VIRTUAL JOINING FORCES EVENT ON APRIL 7, 2021.

What is Joining Forces?

Joining Forces is a White House initiative to support military families, which includes: families of service members and veterans, caregivers and survivors. Our work is driven by their experiences.

First Lady Jill Biden participates in a tour and greets children Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at the Child Development Center at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California. (Official White House Photo by Kevin Lowery)

Focus Areas

Guided by the life experiences and the perspectives voiced during in-person and virtual listening sessions with military families and stakeholders, the work and priorities of Joining Forces will center on the needs of military families in the areas of: Employment and Entrepreneurship; Military Child Education; and Health and Well-Being.

Employment and Entrepreneurship: The Department of Defense's 2019 Active Duty Spouses Survey indicates, even pre-pandemic, a military spouse unemployment rate of approximately 22%. Frequent moves and transfers, state licensing requirements, child care (costs, long waitlists for on-base providers, and lack of access to off-base providers), caregiving, and deployments, all contribute to the unique challenges military spouses face to building sustainable and long-term careers. Joining Forces will work with government at all levels and the non-profit and private sectors to mitigate these challenges and drive economic opportunities. We will work with employers to create more flexible, transferable, and remote job opportunities for military spouses, as well as increasing resources for those interested in entrepreneurial endeavors. We will also ensure that military families are included in the administration's overall policies aimed at improving economic security for all families.

Military Child Education: There are more than 2 million children in classrooms in the United States whose parents are active-duty military service members, National Guard or reservists, or military veterans. Military life can be unpredictable: these children often experience multiple moves, extended separation from family members, and increased fear for their parents' safety during deployments. We must understand and account for the lifelong impact of service on military-connected children and ensure that children in veteran families, caregiving families, and surviving families will also be included in the initiative's work. We also recognize that military children with disabilities, including those enrolled in DOD's Exceptional Family Member Program, face additional challenges with changes of duty station. Joining Forces will advance programming to support military-connected children in their classrooms, and help ease the burdens created by the highly mobile military lifestyle.

Health and Well-Being: Supporting the overall physical, social, and emotional health of military families is a national security imperative. While our country lauds the strength and resilience of military families, it is critical to acknowledge that they too shoulder the weight of the past 20 years of sustained warfare. Members of military families and caregivers may experience mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Caregiving for a wounded, ill, or injured family member can have an outsized impact on a caregiver's health, financial stability, and economic security. Additionally, some military families report a lack of consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy lifestyle. The global pandemic over the past year has intensified these stressors. We will also work closely with service providers in the civilian community to ensure they have the knowledge and tools to effectively support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

Resources

Crisis Line Information

If you or a loved one are in crisis, you don't have to face it alone. The Military Crisis Line offers free, confidential support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for all servicemembers, including members of the National Guard and Reserve, veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors.

Contact the Military Crisis Line if you or a loved one are thinking about hurting yourself or having thoughts of suicide. The Military Crisis Line is staffed by caring, qualified responders, many of whom are veterans and understand the challenges that members of the military and their families face.

Joining Forces In Photos

First Lady Jill Biden meets with military service members at Mihail Kogalniceau Ait Base in Constanta, Romania, on Friday, May 6, 2022.

First Lady Jill Biden delivers remarks and greets military members and their families Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at Fort Campbell Army Air Field in Oak Grove, Kentucky. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

First Lady Jill Biden and Captain Jo-Ann Burdian greet children at Coast Guard Air Station Miami in Opa-Iocka, Florida, on Friday, February 18, 2022. (Official White House Photo by Cameron Smith)

First lady Jill Biden assembles care packages for members of the National Guard on Saturday, January 29, 2022, with Operation Gratitude in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

First Lady Jill Biden delivers remarks and greets military members and their families Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at Fort Campbell Army Air Field in Oak Grove, Kentucky. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, joined by Gold Star family members, pray following a tree planting ceremony at the White House on Monday, May 30, 2022. The magnolia tree was planted in honor of those who have lost their lives and the families who carry on their legacies. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

First Lady Jill Biden and Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education, visit Whiteman Elementary School on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Knob Noster, Missouri. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

First Lady Jill Biden greets military personnel and their families at Joint Base Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina on Monday, October 25, 2021. (Official White House Photo by Cameron Smith)

First Lady Jill Biden delivers remarks Wednesday, November 17, 2021, at the Hiring Our Heroes Veteran Employment Advisory Council at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

First Lady Jill Biden, joined by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sharon Rogers, reads the children's book "Night Catch," for a virtual story-time with United Through Reading at Mihail Kogalniceanu International Airport in Constanta, Romania, on Friday, May 6, 2022. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

First Lady Jill Biden delivers remarks and speaks with students Monday November 1, 2021, at Naples Middle High School in Naples, Italy. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

First Lady Jill Biden and Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education, visit Knob Noster High School on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Knob Noster, Missouri. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

First Lady Jill Biden hosts a Joining Forces celebration of Hidden Helpers on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

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"We have an all-volunteer force-and it continues only because generations of Americans see the honor, dignity, and patriotism of military service. How can we hope to keep our military strong if we don't give our families, survivors, and caregivers what they need to thrive? That's what Joining Forces is about."

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I learned from a few veterans I know personally that they know they have benefits such as healthcare benefits but they do not necessarily know where they can obtain it. The VA government website is a great starting point for such information.

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This new law expands and extends eligibility for care and benefits for Veterans and survivors related to toxic exposures.