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By Charlene Rubush, December 7, 2012 4:45 pm

I’ve just learned of another important resource for our combat vets and their families.

Combat Vets Helping Combat Vets (CVHCV) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping Combat Veterans–individuals  who operated in theatre, on the ground, and outside the wire in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Their organizational focus is with this group of Veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in addition to other physical and mental injuries as a consequence of their service in a combat zone.

They specialize in Veterans Administration disability compensation and Federal Social Security Disability. They are a ‘one stop shop’ that provides all these services in one day!!

CVHCV will fill all paperwork/online forms out for the Veteran, follow up on the case status for the Veteran, and coordinate with other organizations (DAV, VFW, VA, etc) as needed. In addition, they seek out Veterans to attempt to put these mechanisms in motion due to the fact that most Veterans do not seek help until they manifest extreme PTSD and are suicidal/homicidal, arrested, etc.

This entire effort is to achieve one goal: to get Veterans in treatment immediately, before they get into legal trouble, harm themselves or others, commit suicide, or continue to psychologically and spiritually suffer and struggle due to their combat experience. They provide this at no cost to the Veteran.

Currently, there is no other organization which does this and they are proud to be able to help.

Visit their website at:

http://www.combatvets4combatvets.com

They are also on Facebook.

Note:

I am so happy that I’ve found out about this amazing resource, and I hope those of you in need, will reach out and contact them.

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By Charlene Rubush, November 7, 2012 2:54 pm

Here’s another great organization dedicated to helping our returning combat vets and their families.

Vets4Vets is a non-partisan organization that is helping our troops heal from the psychological injuries of war through the use of peer support.

This is their Vision:

Our primary goal is to help Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans understand the value of peer support and to regularly use peer support to express their emotions, manage their challenges and ease their integration into society.

Our vision is that anytime a veteran needs to talk with someone who really understands, a local Vets4Vets peer support group is available at no cost. We envision Vets4Vets being a common name in the minds of all veterans as a place where they, and their comrades, can go to heal.

Here’s a list of many of their Beliefs:

• Sharing personal experiences with those who have shared similar experiences is a powerful healing tool.
• Peer support does not require professionals.
• Peer support can take place in many formats including weekend workshops, one-on-one and in small or large groups.
• By expressing the feelings associated with our experiences, we help each other heal.
• In providing an environment that is confidential, safe, and accepting.
• Taking part in positive community action, of their choosing, empowers veterans to further promote healing and reach out to other veterans.
• Use of drugs and alcohol hinders real emotional healing.

Vets4Vets also offers a blog and listings of vets resources. You’ll also find info on their website about how to start a group in your area, as well as listings of local groups. They are on Facebook and Twitter.

How I wish these types of groups had been available for our Vietnam vets. It was my experience that bonding then usually occurred in bars, and that brought innumerable problems for the vets and their families.

I am so glad to see this group note that the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs actually impedes healing. –I’m really happy to pass on info about this important resource for today’s veterans. Better late than never…

Contact them at (520)393-8302 and visit their website at:

http://www.vets4vets.us

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By Charlene Rubush, September 13, 2010 5:51 pm

Sometimes I shake my head in amazement. It’s still hard for me to believe that after all these years after the Vietnam War, and what we’ve learned from those vets and their families, that there still seems to be a reluctance of today’s vets to seek out help. It seems such a shame and a waste, when there is now so much help available.

I’m glad to share this info from the Real Warriors website. They are trying to affect change and erase the stigma that unfortunately, still is associated with seeking psychological help.

“The Real Warriors Campaign is an initiative launched by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) to promote the processes of building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning service members, veterans and their families.

The Real Warriors Campaign combats the stigma associated with seeking psychological health care and treatment and encourages service members to increase their awareness and use of these resources. To reach the broadest audience possible, the campaign features a variety of strategies including outreach and partnerships, print materials, media outreach, an interactive Web site and social media. The campaign features stories of real service members who have sought treatment and are continuing to maintain successful military or civilian careers.

In addition, DCoE established the DCoE Outreach Center, a 24/7 call center staffed by health resource consultants to provide confidential answers, tools, tips and resources about psychological health and traumatic brain injury. The Outreach Center can be reached toll-free at 866-966-1020 or via e-mail at resources@dcoeoutreach.org.”

Visit http://www.realwarriors.net.

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By Charlene Rubush, May 10, 2010 2:56 pm

Part Two:

“Our freedom is not free. There is a price to pay, and some veterans pay with the remaining parts of their lives.”

–Vietnam War veteran, Altorlee Stokes, Jr.

District Attorney Tim Harris is dedicated to the success of the Veterans Treament Court’ s success. He notes of veterans:

“They literally put their lives on the line for us. Once they come into the criminal justice system, they deserve to be looked at in a different way. We want to bring justice and hope to turn their lives around. We want to show some appreciation for what they’ve done.”

The veterans court was created in December of 2008, after Smith observed a similar court in Buffalo, N.Y. and became convinced of its effectiveness.

Smith said “If you have a veteran, and that person can look to the left and the right and see participants who have been through the same experiences, it makes a difference in how that person feels and progresses in the program.”

Common underlying factors are post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury related to combat. Continue reading 'Court’s Mission- Helping Suffering Veterans'»

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By Charlene Rubush, May 7, 2010 4:09 pm

Part One:

In an article by Ginnie Graham, titled “The War at Home,” we learn that the National Drug Court Institute considers the “Veterans Treatment Court” in Tulsa, to be a model court. Four courts are being considered for the distinction.

Getting the distinction means getting a grant and visitors who will come, and want to start programs in other jurisdictions. At the court, Graham observed that some men stood at parade rest as they appeared before Tulsa Special Judge Sarah Day Smith. Others leaned on their crutches or walkers or stood close to military attention.

The veterans are from six different wars and range widely in age. They also battle addictions leading to problems with their families, housing and brushes with the law. Continue reading 'Veterans Treatment Court Considered Country Model'»

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By Charlene Rubush, May 6, 2010 4:57 pm

We do believe when we stand together as a nation, we can make a difference

and help out troops adjust to their new life at home.-

The Grant Humanitarian Foundation

Corte Madera, California

Elena Grant has received many blessings in her own life. Her grandmother, Lurline Matson Roth and her mother, Berenice Spalding, passed on their family tradition of nurturing, cultivating, and giving back to community and society.

In 1975, Elena’s grandmother set an admirable example when she donated her Filoli family home, complete with furnishings and formal gardens, to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, for the enjoyment and inspiration of future generations.

Lurline Matson Roth’s father, William Matson (1849-1917) was the founder of the Matson Navigation Company. Mrs. Roth also served as the president of the San Francisco Chapter of the Red Cross during World War II. Continue reading 'Elena Grant – Combat Relief for Returning Soldiers'»

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By Charlene Rubush, May 4, 2010 4:42 pm

Part One:

I’m continually amazed by the growing resources for combat veterans and their families.

I’ve recently become aware of “Combat Relief,” which is a mission of “The Grant Humanitarian Foundation” based in San Francisco, California. From the website, we learn:

The Grant Humanitarian Foundation’s mission is to care for America’s military men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Specifically, the Foundation helps nurture back to health American troops suffering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Continue reading 'PTSD-Affected Returning Combat Vets – Combat Relief'»

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By Charlene Rubush, April 21, 2010 2:28 pm

In an article by William R. Levesque, he writes that a bill in Congress provides a seemingly straightforward answer to a question that has vexed tens of thousands of Americans who served in the U.S. military.

Who is a Vietnam veteran?

The answer is vitally important to Navy personnel who served in Vietnam’s territorial waters. For now, the Dept. of Veterans Affairs definition of a Vietnam veteran does not include these men and women.

Legislation introduced in the House would change that, clearing the way for Navy veterans to get disability payments and free health care for ailments linked to the herbicide Agent Orange, from type II diabetes to a variety of cancers. Continue reading 'Navy Vietnam Veterans Seek Equal Benefits'»

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By Charlene Rubush, April 19, 2010 3:56 pm

In a January 19th, 2010 article by Bart Jansen, we learn that Florida veterans are urging Congress to shorten the backlog for disability claims and to eliminate an overlap in survivors benefits.

Veterans are particularly wary of cuts in Medicare for the elderly and disabled that could ripple through the military health-care system called TRICARE for troops, their dependents and retirees. These are among the top concerns that advocacy groups will raise at a roundtable with the House Veterans Affairs Committee in Wahsington.

Florida is second only to California as a home for veterans with 1.9 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Brevard County has 77,169 veterans, Lee County 66,081, Escambia 38,510 and Leon 20, 561, according to 2008 Census figures. Continue reading 'Florida Veterans Advocacy Group Looks For Help'»

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By Charlene Rubush, April 17, 2010 1:29 pm

There is some hopeful news in an article by Jamie Reno, published in Veterans Today. He writes “They are the invisible wounds of war, the battered minds and bruised spirits we have come to recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. By one estimate, more than 300,000 of the nearly two million U.S. servicemen and women deployed since 9/11 suffer from the often -debilitating condition, with symptoms that include flashbacks and nightmares, emotional numbness, relationship problems, trouble sleeping, sudden anger and drug and alcohol abuse.”

Reno notes that the number of cases of PTSD is expected to climb as the war in Afghanistan continues, and could ultimately exceed 500,000, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford University. Mental health experts say PTSD is the primary reason suicides in the military are at an all-time high; 256 sodiers took their own lives in 2008, the highest number since that data was first tracked, in 1980. Continue reading 'Changes Underway at the VA May Mean Better Treatment for Thousands of Veterans with PTSD'»