Homeland Magazine Sept 2020

Homeland

www.HomelandMagazine.com Vol. 8 Number 9 • September 2020

M A G A Z I NE

HEALTH HONOR REMEMBER A GOLD STAR

Mother Never Forgets Patriotic Advocate “My Life My Joy”

WE WILL

NEVER FORGET

FIGHTING TO SERVE OTHERS

Election Season

RESEARCH

MENTAL HEALTH

LEGAL EAGLE

Do Your Homework

What’s Next

Suicide Prevention

Covid Coaster

Transition to Civilian Life

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I had a complete meltdown with PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). I thought I was losing my mind. I’d never been out of control before, and it was hard to admit I needed help, but I wanted my old self back. I’ve gotten that and more. I’m strong.

I’m healthy. I have tools, I have knowledge, and I have strength and courage to deal with it. I’m doing just fine.

RON WHITCOMB SGT US ARMY 1968 - 1969 SQUAD LEADER, VIETNAM

PTSD TREATMENT CAN TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.PTSD.VA.GOV/ABOUTFACE

WWW.PTSD.VA.GOV

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EDITOR’S

LETTER

Publisher Editor-In-Chief Mike Miller mikemiller@HomelandMagazine.com

Contributing Writers Holly Shaffner Veteran Advocate

RanDee McLain, LCSW A Different Lens

Vicki Garcia

Enlisted to Entrepreneur

CJ Machado

Homeland Photojournalist

Kelly Bagla, Esq. Legal Eagle

Joe Molina Veterans Chamber of Commerce

Eve Nasby

What’s Next - Transition

Eva Stimson

Veteran Advocate

Collaborative Organizations

www.HomelandMagazine.com Greetings and a warm welcome to Homeland Magazine!

Please take some time to get to know the layout of our magazine.

The Magazine focuses on national resources, support, community, and inspiration for our veterans and the military families that keep it together.

Our magazine is driven by passion, vision, reflection and the future.

The content is the driving force behind our magazine and the connection it makes with our veterans, service members, military families, and civilians.

The magazine is supported by a distinguishing list of national veteran organizations, resource centers, coalitions, veteran advocates, and more.

We are honored to share the work of so many committed and thoughtful people.

Homeland Magazine is a veterans magazine for veterans by veterans.

We appreciate your support and are so happy to have you as a reader of Homeland Magazine.

Mike Miller

Publisher/Editor mikemiller@HomelandMagazine.com 4

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Wounded Warrior Project Raquel Rivas Disabled American Veterans American’s Warrior Partnership Shelter To Soldier Father Joe’s Village Flying Leathernecks Give An Hour Courage To Call Operation Homefront With National Veteran Advocates & Guest Writers Homeland Magazine is published monthly. Submissions of photographs, Illustrations, drawings, and manuscripts are considered unsolicited materials and the publisher assumes no responsibility for the said items.

All rights reserved.

Homeland Magazine

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(858) 275-4281 Contact Homeland Magazine at:

info@homelandmagazine.com

WE WILL NEVER FORGET

September INSIDE THIS ISSUE

8 Fighting To Save Others 10 A Mother Never Forgets 12 CaringBridge An Anchor for Mom 14 Storm - Be Ready (National Guard) 16 Phoenix Rising 18 CJ Machado - Patriotic Advocate 22 Election Season 24 COVID - Operation Warp Speed 26 LENS: Covid Coaster 30 Real Talk: Suicide Prevention 34 Arts & Healing: “Artist Chato” 38 What’s Next - Against All Odds 42 Prep Work Before an Interview 44 Enlisted to Entrepreneur - Strategic Business 46 Legal Eagle - Aftermath of COVID-19 48 Education our “New Field Gear” www.HomelandMagazine.com

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Host this National Memorial in your Community

Please contact us to add a Fallen loved one, host the memorial, or make a donation at: info@RememberingOurFallen.org

www.RememberingOurFallen.org www.PatrioticProductions.org

Tribute Towers

Remembering Our Fallen is a national memorial unlike any other -with military & personal photos of 5,000 military Fallen since 9/11/2001 Unveiled at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 2017, it has since traveled the nation coastto-coast.

This memorial also includes those who returned from war, but lost their inner battle to suicide, and those who died from non-war zone injuries while serving in their military capacity.

Please contact us to add a Fallen loved one, host the memorial, or make a donation at: info@RememberingOurFallen.org Artist - Elizabeth Moug Artist - Saul Hansen 6

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“If the purpose of a war memorial is to help us remember the sacrifices of the Heroes, and to help us heal from our sorrow, then your mission has been accomplished. Thank you for this tremendous gift.”

- 1LT Daniel P. Riordan’s Mother

“There is a ‘disconnect’ between those we ask to serve our military objectives and our society at large. This memorial made that connection very dramatically and helped us understand the magnitude of their sacrifices.

- Ed Malloy, Mayor of Fairfield, Iowa

New Monument Honoring the F-14 Tomcat coming soon...

The F-14 Tomcat ranks as one of the most famous military fighters in the world. The aircraft was made famous throughout the world during major news events in the 1980’s, it became iconic in the Hollywood film, TOP GUN — the highest grossing film in 1986.

The F-14 became a symbol of America’s air superiority and was finally retired in 2006. Sadly, there was no public monument honoring the aviators who lost their lives flying this legendary airplane.

Ret. Rear Admiral Fred Lewis, who flew the F-14 Tomcat corrected this neglect when he spearheaded an effort to commemorate the famed aircraft and launch a nonprofit organization, the F-14 Tomcat Monument Association. This 501(c)(3) organization went on to collect contributions so that the memorial could be donated to key cities where the iconic fighter was based.

There will be three monuments built; each costing an estimated $90,000. The site locations for their homes are Virginia Beach, VA, Pensacola, FL and San Diego, CA. This unique Tomcat monument will be a four-sided granite obelisk. Each laser-etched panels shows different images of the F-14 in action with brief descriptions of its service with one panel dedicated to the 68 people who lost their lives flying the mighty Tomcat. A list of donors will also be featured at the bottom of the panels. If you would like to contribute please visit the following website: www.tomcatmonument.org Award winning Director Mark “Viz” Vizcarra of Speed and Angels Productions flew the F-14 Tomcat and is supporting the effort in his newly released documentary, Tomcat Tales - www.F14TOMCATS.com

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“The F-14 Tomcat made it’s fleet introduction in San Diego in 1973. It was without doubt the best fighter plane to ever fly from the flight decks of Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers. F-14 squadrons operated out of NAS Miramar for thirty years and was the Nation’s frst line of defense against our adversaries around the globe. The Tomcat became a symbol of the strength of American people just as the legendary Spitfire did for the British nation during WWII. It is fitting that from a historical perspective we pay tribute to not only the machine but to the thousands of Americans who designed, maintained, and operated the Tomcat and especially to the sixty-eight aircrew who perished while flying the F-14.”

-RADM “Bad” Fred Lewis

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FIGHTING TO Adam Greathouse poses with an M-16 during a field exercise at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. He fell in love with military life before being exposed to toxins while deployed to Kosovo in 2001.

SERVE OTHERS

DAV’s Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year honored for overcoming incredible odds and serving as an inspiration for others

By Matt Saintsing

I

n 2001, Army veteran Adam Greathouse was deployed to Kosovo when his life changed forever.

He unexpectedly came in contact with chemical weapons. The toxins formed billowing clouds that engulfed the tank Greathouse was riding in, filling the air—and his lungs—with a deadly substance.

A medic rushed Greathouse to the medical tent, where his breathing stopped entirely. He woke up two months later, attached to a ventilator with staples stretching from the left side of his chest around to his back. Greathouse had suffered a brain injury due to the lack of oxygen, and the exposure had caused organ failure and extensive damage to his lungs.

He survived, but as he relearned to walk, write and use the bathroom, one thing became clear—his days of being a soldier in the U.S. Army were numbered.

“I don’t know if I cried so hard in my entire life,” said Greathouse. “Everything I knew was ripped away from me.”

Greathouse speaks to VA staff about his story of recovery and redemption at the Hershel “Woody” Williams VA Medical Center in Huntington, West Virginia.

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The decade that followed included struggles with alcohol abuse, thoughts of suicide and unbearable guilt.

But in 2011, he was introduced to recreational therapy on a whitewater rafting excursion down the Gauley River in West Virginia.

As the raft shot down the rapids, Greathouse gained back a glimpse of what he found in the Army that he’d lost as a disabled veteran—comradery.

“That lit my pilot light,” he said. “It brings a smile to my face every time I think about it.”

Greathouse went on to take part in the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and VA co-presented National Disabled Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass, Colorado, in 2012, later earning the event’s DAV Freedom Award in 2017 for his remarkable spirit in the face of injury.

Greathouse has also gone on to volunteer more than 5,100 hours since 2015 at the Hershel “Woody” Williams VA Medical Center in Huntington, West Virginia, serves as a peer mentor, and has shared his story with over 1,700 veterans and VA staff members.

This year, he received DAV’s top annual honor when he was named its Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year.

“Time and again, Adam has shown that, no matter how hard the fight, you can always come out stronger with the right attitude and support system,” added fellow Army veteran and DAV National Commander Butch Whitehead. “He is an inspiration to all veterans, from ones just now stepping off the battlefield to those currently battling in their recovery and beyond.” n

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A Mother Never Forgets A mother’s love for her children is never-ending. It endures all the joys along with the trials. From the days of nurturing a child beginning at birth and into adulthood, to enduring the growing pains alongside them as they learn right from wrong, moms are there. These women are celebrated every May. But another group of mothers is recognized every September — those who have experienced great loss. On Gold Star Mothers and Families Day, we honor the parents of children who have died during military service. This is not a celebratory holiday, but rather a time when the nation pauses to recognize the strength and sacrifices of those who gave life, only to have that gift taken away.

“Daniel and I fought a great fight in trying to keep him alive,” said Mary Tallouzi. “But I lost my baby boy. I couldn’t believe it! It is the depths of your heart breaking and soul dying.”

Mary raised three children — Christopher, Daniel, and Jennifer. Her children were surrounded by immediate and extended family who had served in the military. Mary’s two oldest brothers served three tours each during the Vietnam War. She was not surprised when in Christopher and Daniel entered the Army after high school.

For some, it’s a reminder of what happened battle:

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When Christopher deployed to the Middle East, Mary felt that he was prepared because he’d served in Kuwait and Bosnia. But when Daniel deployed, he had no previous experiences like Christopher. Still, the family was not worried because Daniel’s role was in aviation, and “nothing ever happened to those aviation guys.”

As any mother would, Mary grieved. For about seven months, she wasn’t sure what she was thinking, or if she was capable of thought processes. One day, she received a phone call from a woman who had attended Daniel’s funeral. The woman said she’d never attended a military funeral where she saw a mother walking behind a casket draped with an American flag. She asked to meet Mary, and Mary surprisingly heard herself ask, “Is tomorrow too soon?” Mary learned this woman was fundraising for WWP. After attending the woman’s first event, Mary became a faithful volunteer for the next two years.

She also became involved with Gold Star Mothers of New Mexico. These women often attend funerals of service members and support their families in any way possible.

“As Gold Star mothers, it’s about giving back to our nation’s veterans,” Mary said. “Whether we visit VA hospitals, donate to good causes, or involve ourselves in other ways of giving back, we never forget the sacrifice we made as families, and we never forget the fallen.”

Mary has given back by collecting gift cards and distributing them to warriors as she meets them. She’s also taken warriors grocery shopping, and even paid for vehicle repair for one military couple.

But everything changed when Daniel was wounded in 2006. During a mortar attack in Iraq, shrapnel the size of a quarter crossed both hemispheres of Daniel’s brain and lodged in the center. He endured more than two years in hospitals before returning home.

Mary continually showed her strength in the face of adversity. She eventually became a spokesperson for WWP. Mary now shares her story with others, in hopes that she can help caregivers and veterans through their journeys.

During this time, Mary connected with Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). Although Daniel was in a coma, Mary was surprised when WWP addressed Daniel first when entering his hospital room, thanking him for his service.

Most visitors defaulted to addressing Mary, as if Daniel weren’t there.

“I want Americans to know the sacrifices young men and women make when serving our country,” Mary said.

“The needs of our nation’s young veterans are not being met without their support. And the greatest tragedy is being forgotten.”

“It was surreal to hear voices as they walked into the room, approached his bed, and thanked him for his service,” Mary said. “Without skipping a beat, they assured Daniel they were there to let him know that his mother is not alone. That was so refreshing and sincere.”

We honor mothers like Mary in September. But they carry the weight of their children’s military service every day. Let’s remember mothers like Mary — and their children — as we go about our daily tasks and routines.

A mother’s sacrifices are never-ending — especially when their child made the ultimate sacrifice.

WWP also provided Daniel a backpack filled with clothing and comfort items. “I thought, ‘Wow, they see what I see: one day Daniel will wake up and start functioning again.’”

The backpack assured Mary that they were moving forward — that she had an advocate and was not alone.

About Wounded Warrior Project Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition.

Sadly, Mary lost Daniel on Feb. 28, 2009. But thanks to organizations like WWP, she didn’t lose hope.

Learn more at www.newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

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Anchor for Mom of Wounded Soldier

Brian and Gina Dowd, shown with their kids, faced challenges no family ever imagines after Brian suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2015.

The phone rang at Joanne Dowd’s home in Delaware on Oct. 26, 2015, with the news every military mother dreads: Her son, Brian, a U.S. Army Special Forces officer, had been severely injured where he was stationed on temporary duty in Germany. A German civilian had miraculously spotted Brian’s injured body, and called for emergency medical care.

The Dowds did not know what to expect. Joanne said, “Brian was in really, really bad shape.” But after a few days of what she described as “one miracle after another,” Brian became stable enough to be flown from Landstuhl, Germany, to Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.

What actually happened to Brian remains unclear, but he had multiple fractures, a collapsed lung and was in a coma with a severe brain injury. When a military surgeon later called to provide Joanne, a retired nurse, with medical details, she said, “He was very clear on the dire nature of Brian’s condition.”

Joanne remembers watching her son transferred onto a C-17 military transport airplane with a handmade American flag patchwork quilt covering his stretcher.

Brian’s flight nurse said to Joanne, “I have three little boys at home. Until we get your boy to Walter Reed, he is my son.”

And just like that, Joanne, her husband, Kevin, and Brian’s wife, Gina, found themselves navigating a whole new world, half a world away.

Praying for a Miracle Joanne and Kevin flew to Germany from the East Coast, and Gina traveled from her home in Colorado, with her infant daughter, Maeve. Family and friends including Gina’s Mom, Debbie, rallied around to care for Gina and Brian’s older kids, Mia and Joey. And everyone began praying for a miracle.

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Dedication and Commitment

Within 24 hours of arriving at Walter Reed, Brian was breathing on his own and starting to emerge from his coma. His medical team kept saying this really shouldn’t be happening with the extent of Brian’s injuries. But it was.

Joanne said she marveled at the care and attention both Brian and his family received at Walter Reed and from the Army’s Special Forces Support Team and Wounded Warriors who were on hand to help. “The level of dedication and commitment was amazing,” she said.

Brian with Baby Maeve in 2016, as he recovered in a military hospital after a severe head injury.

Staying Positive, Hopeful After nine days at Walter Reed, Brian was transferred to the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical in Richmond, VA, a model treatment center for service members with multiple traumatic injuries. He was admitted to their comaemergence program.

Over her own 42-year career in nursing, Joanne said she had never witnessed such amazing care by a medical team. “Every single discipline was so focused and caring and committed,” she said. “All the staff was hopeful and so inspiring. Just being on the unit was good therapy for all of us.”

Joanne had kept a journal since the day she got the call about Brian’s injury. But while staying at Fisher House in Richmond, a home away from home for families of service members receiving care at VA Medical Centers, she launched a CaringBridge site.

Brian was moving out of a daily emergency mode toward a new normal, and with family and friends around the globe asking for updates, Joanne said CaringBridge was a perfect platform for communicating.

Joanne was the main writer on Brian’s CaringBridge site, as Gina had her hands full with an injured husband and an infant. “Instead of writing in a journal, I wrote posts on CaringBridge once everyone was asleep,” Joanne said. “It was a wonderful process because it helped me stay in the positive, hopeful space I wanted to inhabit. I felt like my job was to try and stay in a positive, solid place. For Brian. For Gina.

CaringBridge became my anchor.”

Healing Effects of Family Brian spent the next three months recovering from his injuries, and he had to re-learn all of the skills of daily living. Joanne and Kevin were able to provide daily support while Gina and Baby Maeve flew back and forth between Colorado and Virginia.

Mia and Joey were able to be with the family in Virginia over Christmas week, and the positive impact they had on their Dad’s recovery was noticed by everyone.

The Fisher House was a wonderful place for the entire clan. Brian’s sisters and their families, Gina’s mom and brother and girlfriend … all 20 people to gather and celebrate the holidays. Their presence, love and support really helped Brian’s recovery process.

Brian 2.0 Now home and with his health restored—another miracle—Brian is medically retired from the military, and is working in a job that uses skills acquired in the Army.

“They’re making a whole new life,” Joanne said. “He talked in the hospital that this was ‘Brian 2.0.’ It has been a challenging four years, but his family is in good place.”

Joanne said Brian has read parts of his CaringBridge Journal, but she finds it hard to look back at how scary those early months were. “We didn’t know if Brian would recover, or what recovery might look like,” she said. “Having the support of everyone around us and on CaringBridge made our faith and hope stronger. It made it possible for us to believe that miracles happen.”

Learn More Through a partnership between the VA and CaringBridge, Veterans, service members and their family caregivers everywhere are finding in CaringBridge a place of help, hope and healing.

If you know a military family that needs CaringBridge, share this article or invite them to check out the special homepage for those who have served. www.caringbridge.org

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‘’The National Guard is

the nation’s first military responder. We are the first to respond and the last to leave.’’(Army Master Sgt. Michael Houk, National Guard Bureau) Seven Tips to Be Ready if a Storm is Coming 1. Monitor local radio and TV for updates.

The path of the storm could change quickly and unexpectedly.

2. Hunker down and take shelter.

3. Communicate with friends and family.

4. Keep away from windows. Close storm shutters; flying glass from broken windows could injure you.

5. Prepare for power outages. Turn your refrigerator or freezer to the coldest setting, and open only when necessary. If you lose power, food will last longer.

6. Storm surges pose a great threat to safety and can cut off potential evacuation routes.

If you’re told to evacuate, don’t wait.

7. Avoid driving through flooded areas. Amost half of flash flooding deaths occur in vehicles.

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A Texas National Guardsman carries a resident from her flooded home.

Courtesy DOD

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Phoenix Rising

By Jamie Brown Flames and embers were shot like a blow torch across four residential blocks fueled by relentless winds. 41 homes were consumed, and 150 people displaced. The isolated desert town of 1,200 had few resources to deal with something of that magnitude. The residents? Some of the poorest not just in California, but in the nation.

Most with no insurance or recourse for recovery. It is heartbreaking to consider and soul crushing to see. This was the scene on June 28 in the town of Niland, 45 miles north of Mexico, when a nearby palm grove caught fire.

In the aftermath, the disaster response organization Team Rubicon stepped into the arena. The call went out to the Greyshirt (TR volunteer) community and was answered immediately by those built to serve.

I had the privilege of spending five days in Niland with Team Rubicon documenting the story through photography. Having deployed to eight disasters with them, I have witnessed many incredible stories, but this one had elements that showed a deeper side of humanity that needed further telling.

August in one of the hottest places on earth. The first day’s high reached 109 degrees. Each subsequent day the temperature rose and by the fifth the high was 116 with little relief in sight. The team of 15-25 was on the ground by 06:00. The early hours focused on hand tool work before the extreme heat crept in. Back breaking, blister inducing work while outfitted with long sleeves, heavy boots, gloves, hardhats, and N95 masks. While those crews were managing their areas the heavy equipment teams were organizing the excavators, skid steers, and water buffaloes. By 09:00 the temperature was teasing 100 degrees. As the rhythm of the day developed crews were removing ash, contaminated soil, home debris, burned vehicles, concrete slabs once someone’s bedroom floor, and an assortment of unidentifiable debris. Work, sweat, hydrate.

By 10:00 rotations had started, and Greyshirts were using air-conditioned trucks to cool off. Water buffaloes were pumping continuously to keep down the toxic ash clouds the HEOs were kicking up as they cleared the remnants of people’s lives.

Article Photos by Team Rubicon 16

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Greyshirts pulling heavy, industrial grade hoses through an almost post-apocalyptic landscape, the sun above actively trying to murder them. Work, sweat, hydrate. By lunch up to a dozen debris containers had been filled and (sporadically) replaced. The crews would break as the temperature was cresting 105 degrees having already cleared hundreds of tons of the fire’s victims. Work, sweat, hydrate, eat.

In the end Team Rubicon will have cleared thousands of tons of debris and ash leaving the lots toxin free and ready for the rebuilding of homes and lives. A community will begin to recover. www.teamrubiconusa.org

The day’s closing hours were brutal. They were tired and scorched, but unfazed. By 2:30 temperatures were climaxing and the ability to function safely exponentially deteriorated. But they pushed forward as the heat beat down from above and radiated up from below like a furnace. Work, sweat, hydrate. When they finally congregated back at the school that had been set up as a command center they were caked in a mix of ash, dirt, and sweat that permeated to the bone. Greyshirts were gray faces and exhausted bodies aching for a shower and rest. Rinse and repeat – day after day.

What was missing at the end of the day was disillusion and complaint. Replaced, instead, with gratitude and acknowledgement for the days work. Somehow, after a day of work that you could not pay most people to do, those volunteers were smiling and joking and grateful for each other. Something that needs to be experienced to truly appreciate.

The group that week were from every age, orientation, social, ethnic, religious, political group imaginable.

Differences were set aside in the name of the mission and the results were astounding.

Every person contributed at exactly the pace and capacity they were able. From the seemingly indestructible twenty-somethings to the steady and determined sixty-somethings, the work distribution balanced itself organically and was understood. Some were there for a few days, others a few weeks, all with a single goal - Get Everything Done.

There was also the Command and General Staff. There was friendly banter about this leg of the team being in the air conditioning all day, but everyone understood the commitment required of those roles. The majority of whom were on location for the duration. Possibly a month. The day for most was 06:00-3:00 of work, sweat, hydrate. The C&G staff were up at 04:30 and closed out closer to 10:00 with little to no down time.

They were keeping the machine running and providing the necessary continuity as Greyshirts rotated through the operation. It was every bit as challenging as being in the dirt.

About the Author: Jamie Brown is an Army Combat Veteran, TR Volunteer, and founder of Gitano Americano Photography.

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Patriotic Advocate

CJ Machado

“My Life, My Joy”

By Holly Shaffner Do you know someone who wishes there were more hours in the day, just so they can do more for veterans? If not, then I would like to introduce you to veteran advocate, photojournalist, and producer, CJ Machado.

CJ grew up in San Diego and as a little girl she was aware of the privilege of being a First-Generation American Citizen. As an adult, her relentless patriotism stems from her gratitude and appreciation for her freedom. She clearly remembers the day it all started for her - the day she received a phone call from Germany about her deployed brother.

Her brother, John D. Machado had enlisted as an infantryman in the U.S Army and served two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. While serving, John had a close call with death when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blew up underneath his military vehicle. CJ’s brother sustained a serious concussion, but fortunately he survived. When he returned home, he was like the thousands of men and women who come home changed. For John, he did not talk about a horrific incident that killed his friend, and that image which is burned in his memory still affects him today.

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Photo by Thomas Goisque

It was that initial phone call in 2013 that changed her life and from that day forward, CJ has made every effort to support those who sacrifice their lives on our behalf.

Seeing how her brother suffers invoked a call to action, a call to service, and ignited her veteran advocacy.

When asked why she does it, CJ said, “Veterans fought for my freedom so now I fight for them.”

When you talk to CJ about her veteran projects, it is mind blowing all the events and projects she has been involved in, how many lives she has touched, how many military eras she has touched, and how many military organizations she has worked with. Even though she has never served in the military, she has the resume and connections of a senior military officer.

One of her first San Diego projects was “Ride-4-Vets” to support veterans and veteran organizations that support our service members and military history. In 2015, she organized a motorcycle ride where riders stopped at museums and monuments throughout San Diego County. The honored guest was American educator, WWII veteran Bruce Heilman who was the National Spokesman of the Greatest Generations Foundation.

Once she met Heilman, she helped to coordinate his ride to the Vietnam wall in Washington, D.C with American Legion Riders nationwide.

Her veteran advocacy shifted almost entirely to the “Greatest Generation” when she realized their stories needed to be documented before the aging veterans were all gone. In 2016, CJ undertook the “Forgotten Hero of the Forgotten War” project to honor and remember CAPT E. Royce Williams, USN, Retired.

CAPT Williams shot down four MiGs while flying Combat Air Patrol above the USS Oriskany during the Korean War. That extraordinary engagement is the only documented attack made on the United States of America by Russia and was classified for 50 years! Many people believe that had it not been for Royce’s courageous defense, World War III would have been inevitable.

CJ was captivated by Royce’s story and more so by his character as a human being. She was determined to recognize his heroism and in 2017 she produced a short film called, The Forgotten Hero of the Forgotten War. The film was selected for the GI Film Festival, nominated for eight awards, and was the winner of San Diego Film Week’s “Spirit of San Diego” award. You can watch it on Amazon.

By the virtue of her work, she gets to have days that she will remember for the rest of her life. One of those days was February 16, 2019 when volunteers from the USS Midway Museum surprised and honored Royce on the flight deck. They presented four, large stamped MiGs on the side of the F9F Panther (the plane Royce flew on that mission) and his name on the aircraft.

CJ & Capt E. Royce Williams

When CJ looks back on that day, she says, “That will always be a monumental day in my mind, the day CAPT E. Royce Williams was recognized with a historical landmark. I knew then he would never be forgotten MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.” And on to 2019, when CJ trained with the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team to experience and document the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest living historical event of our lifetime. Vintage C-47’s and paratroopers from across the world gathered to re-enact D-Day in Normandy France.

She did the jump as well as WWII paratrooper Tom Rice who jumped in the same drop zone as he did on D-Day. Tom was 97 years old at the time! CJ produced the documentary called, LIBERTAS which documented Tom’s inspirational jump and that can be found at: www.NormandyJump2019.com Continued on page 21 >

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We need your help to locate San Diego County World War II and Korea War Veterans for our upcoming 2021 trips.

We want to honor them by taking them on a 3-day trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials built for their service and sacrifice.

Since 2010, Honor Flight San Diego has taken over 1,400 veterans on this trip.

Due to generous donors, the trip is no cost to the veteran.

“It was the best weekend of my life!� - WWII Veteran For more information, please call: (800) 655-6997 or email: info@honorflightsandiego.org www.honorflightsandiego.org 20

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In 2020, the world celebrated the 76th anniversary of D-Day in an initiative called, Freedom Rings Global. CJ helped to organize the global movement that commenced in Normandy, France by the Normandy Victory Museum (NVM).

On June 6, 2020, church bells from across France rang at precisely 6:44 p.m. (for June 6, 1944) and crossed the world ringing in their respective time zones. The NVM requested that Tom Rice ring liberty bells in his hometown to celebrate France and America’s allegiance to freedom.

In collaboration with the NVM and in support of Tom Rice, CJ and local San Diego nonprofit organizations, Honor Flight San Diego, and the San Diego Veterans Coalition, brought the initiative to Coronado, California.

It was quite the undertaking but museums, veteran organizations, representatives and the remaining “Screaming Eagles” of the 101st Airborne Division across the country rang liberty bells in support. In San Diego, the USS Midway and Naval Air Station North Island participated in the global movement in celebration of democracy.

So, what’s next for CJ? Well you know what they say how a rolling stone gathers no moss…

In true CJ style, she has many irons in the fire.

Her largest one is the upcoming release of a graphic novel called, Purple Foxes United (PFU).

It is a Superhero military project that honors all servicemembers. The lead heroine, LT Williams, wears steel wings with dog tags as feathers to represent the MIA/POW’s still unaccounted from Vietnam.

Photo by Greg Siller

“ Veterans

Supporters can purchase the dog tags in honor or memory of their MIA/POW at: www.PurpleFoxesUnited.com. The PFU screenplay is available to view there and is available on Amazon.

fought for my freedom so now I fight for them.”

CJ & Admiral Shelton Photo by Michael Kacmarcik

In 2021, the Purple Foxes United graphic novel will be released in conjunction with Comic Con 2021. There will be a huge event to debut the project that will include veteran artists showcasing their work from the novel.

Proceeds from the release event will benefit many veteran organizations, primarily Honor Flight San Diego.

- CJ Machado

As we wrap up our recognition of this extraordinary Veteran Advocate, I want to make note that all of CJ’s work in our military space is volunteer! She has a fulltime job that pays the bills but hasn’t made any money doing any of the projects since she started in 2015.

It is her honor to work with military veterans. So, when you ask her again, WHY? She says, “My Life, My Joy.” WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2020

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Election Season Do’s and Don’ts for DOD Personnel

By Katie Lange, DOD NEWS

It’s election season again – that time when federal, state and local political campaigns kick into high gear. Whether you’re extremely involved in politics or you aren’t even registered to vote, the Defense Department has expectations for the way its military service members and civilian employees conduct themselves during this time.

Signage DOD personnel can put their favorite party, cause or candidate’s bumper sticker on their car, but no large political signs, banners or posters can be displayed on their car or home. This includes those who live on a military installation in a privatized housing development.

Prohibited Activities Service members and civilian employees are to refrain from partisan political activities. Any political activity they take part in should – as stated above -clearly avoid implying DOD sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a candidate, campaign or cause.

Here are some of the most notable guidelines: Voting Active-duty military and civilian employees are encouraged to take part in their civic duty by voting.

In fact, DOD voting assistance is provided through the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

Attending Events Service members can attend rallies, debates, conventions, political club meetings and fundraising events – but only as a spectator.Members of the Armed Forces – active-duty, Reserve or retired – cannot wear their uniforms at these events, unless they’re members of the color guard at a national convention.

Opinions/Donations DOD employees are also allowed to make personal monetary donations and express their personal opinions on candidates and issues, but service members just can’t do so as a representative of the Armed Forces.

Employees can write letters to the editor of a news outlet expressing their personal views -- as long as they’re not part of an organized letter-writing campaign or are soliciting votes for a party, cause or candidate.

Most importantly, the letter must make it clear that the views expressed are solely the writer’s and NOT those of the DOD. 22

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Prohibited activities include: • Campaigning for a candidate • Soliciting contributions • Marching in a partisan parade • Writing signed partisan political articles, letters or endorsements in an attempt to solicit votes • Performing any duty for a political committee or candidate during a campaign

Social Media Your actions online can affect your career and the DOD just as much as they can in person. That’s why the department also issues guidelines for active-duty service members, active-duty National Guardsmen and federal employees.

DOD employees are allowed to express their own views on issues and candidates, like in a letter to a news outlet. However, if they are identified on their account as active-duty, the post MUST say that the views expressed are their own and not those of the DOD.

When Can Candidates or Officials Visit Military Facilities?

Political candidates and other elected or appointed officials may access DOD installations and facilities to conduct official business or various other activities.

However, they are NOT allowed to engage in campaign or electionrelated activities, including:

DOD personnel shouldn’t participate in partisan political activities online, either, which includes posting direct links to a political party, candidate, campaign, group or cause. That’s considered the equivalent of distributing literature on behalf of those entities, which is prohibited.

Similarly, service members and civilian employees can “friend,” “follow” or “like” a political party, candidate or cause, but they can’t engage in political activities on those pages. For example, they can’t suggest that others “like,” “friend” or “follow” that page, and they can’t forward an invitation or solicitation from that page to others.

Active-duty members are subject to additional restrictions based on Joint Ethics Regulations, the Uniform Code of Military Justice and service-specific rules.

Service member who aren’t on active-duty are NOT subject to the above restrictions, but they are required to make it clear that their actions are their own and not endorsed, approved or sponsored by the DOD.

• Town hall meetings • Speeches • Public assemblies • Fundraisers • News conferences • Post-election celebrations or concession addresses This restriction applies to overseas installations and areas under control of U.S. military combat or peacekeeping forces.

For more in-depth do’s and don’ts concerning political activities, check out DOD Directive 1344.10. www.fvap.gov/uploads/FVAP/Policies/doddirective134410.pdf

WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2020

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Operation Warp Speed More Than Halfway to Enrolling Participants in Vaccine Trials

BY C. Todd Lopez, DOD NEWS

Two of the six candidate vaccines for COVID-19 are now in Phase III trals. Each of those trials will require about 30,000 participants, and Operation Warp Speed is about half finished finding participants for the clinical trials, the deputy chief of staff for policy at the Department of Health and Human Services said.

“We’re past the halfway point in terms of enrollment,” Paul Mango said. “We feel very good about that enrollment in terms of the overall diversity.”

He said the population participating, so far, is varied in age and race, as well as among individuals with varying medical conditions.

“We feel very good about those clinical trials,” Mango said. “We would expect that two more of our candidate vaccines will go into Phase III clinical trials by the middle of September. Maybe one of those even sooner, though we’re feeling good about the fact that we’ll have four vaccines in Phase III clinical trials by the middle of next month.”

Operation Warp Speed is the program designed to find a vaccine for COVID-19 before the end of the year, and to quickly get a vaccine out to Americans by January 2021.

Part of that effort involves manufacturing vaccines before they are even approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. In the event a vaccine is approved, this means it will already be available for distribution.

For those vaccines that are not approved, the alreadymanufactured doses will be destroyed.

Manufacturing is underway now for three of the vaccines, Mango said. For the other three, facilities are being set up, and manufacturing will start shortly.

“We feel we are absolutely on track, if not a little bit ahead in terms of our overall objective, which is tens of millions [of doses] of safe and effective vaccine approved before calendar year-end,” Mango said.

One challenge for meeting the goal of Operation Warp Speed is the logistics of distributing the final, approved vaccine. Planning for that is complicated by the fact that some of the candidate vaccines are single-dose, while others require multiple doses, Mango said.

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“We have to deal with the difference between single doses and double doses,” he said. “We also have to deal with different storage and transport requirements. So when you add all this up, there’s five or six major independent variables, and when you run the number of combinations that we’re planning for, it’s quite extraordinary.”

Another factor, Mango said, is the ancillary material that comes with distributing a vaccine — syringes, hypodermic needles and vials, for instance. He said he’s confident Operation Warp Speed is ahead in that area.

“We have hundreds of millions of those already received,” he said.

“We have hundreds of millions of those that are onorder and will be delivered as we approach year-end and into the early part of the new year. So we feel we have the vast majority of our logistical needs either already covered or underway.”

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also discussed planning where the vaccines will go first when they’re ready and who will interact with recipients to administer the vaccine.

“Right now, the CDC is focused on leveraging the existing systems we use every day to deliver vaccines across the U.S., as well as building on state and local planning that is underway around pandemic influenza,” Redfield said.

Initially, he said, availability of the vaccine might be limited, and it’s important that decisions are made now about which populations should have first access to the vaccines.

“CDCs advisory committee on immunization practices, along with other groups like the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, are evaluating the safety and immunogenicity data of vaccine candidates and examining the epidemiology of COVID-19 in focus populations and will eventually make recommendations about which populations to prioritize for vaccine,” Redfield said.

Due to teleworking as a result of COVID-19, adults may not be able to get the new vaccine where they have gotten vaccines in the past — in some cases at their place of employment, for instance, Redfield said.

“A successful vaccine program will require a combination of traditional and innovative approaches to how vaccines are administered,” he said. “So pharmacies and other complementary community-based locations may be important in our response to this pandemic.”

Redfield also said that a distributor for the future COVID-19 vaccine has been chosen. He said the CDC and that distributor typically deliver as many as 80 million doses of vaccines to providers.

“During an emergency, this system can be scaled and has the capacity to manage and distribute up to 900 million vaccine doses,” he said. “Our goal is ensure that there’s no delay in the handoff between the FDA authorizing a vaccine and the implementation of vaccine programs nationwide.”

Operation Warp Speed is a partnership between the Defense Department and the HHS. Specific HHS components involved include the CDC, FDA, the National Institutes of Health, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.

• www.coronavirus.gov • www.usa.gov/coronavirus • www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2020

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A Different Lens Mental Health Monthly

By RanDee McLain, LCSW

COVID COASTER I recently had a chance to catch up with my best friend.

We started the conversation with simple pleasantries…. how are you? Her response was something I had not heard before. “Oh ya know riding the COVID Coaster!”

I chuckled and asked her what she was talking about.

She told me that she felt like she was riding a roller coaster of emotions daily with all things COVID19.

I sat with that for a few moments and realized she was so right. The last 6 months have felt like an emotional roller coaster and we do not know when we will get off.

COVID

I think back to March when this all began. I was in Georgia training a new Veterans Treatment Court.

I had not been able to watch or hear much of the news but the conversations at the training revolved around this new Corona virus and the possibility of businesses closing.

My first reaction was…..this is an overreaction.

I thought the team just wanted to get out of training early on a Friday. Our staff was pulled aside by the local court team and told that in fact the Georgia governor was closing down schools and businesses.

We were encouraged to end our training early and get on the first flights out of Georgia. Wow…was this real? Is this really happening?

I get back to California and my co-workers were a mix of super confused; anxious; scared and everything in between. There was so much unknown.

You can catch it by touching…you can not catch it by touching; it is airborne …it is not airborne…..what about my job? My kids? Can I work remote? How will it impact client care? We were all figuring it out as we went.

In our industry, pre-COVID, very little work was done remotely. The request for remote work was often denied and if granted was for very limited periods of time. All the sudden we are being told to go remote within hours. Did we have the equipment? How do I support my team and clients in this new environment?

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how are you?

After, the initial fear subsided, many people realized they could work remotely, and their jobs would continue. There seemed to be a sense of relief.

People felt safer in an environment they could somewhat control- their homes. I noticed people happier and slightly less anxious. As my best friend said, this is awesome‌.I can ease into my day. That was short lived. Many people began to realize it may be harder to work from home. How do I juggle my kids doing remote learning, my own work and 5 people on the same internet?

Social and physical isolation became a real concern.

We had many people who didn’t leave the house for weeks and months. This brought on sadness and in some cases depression. Mental Health became a real concern as the time passed. After several weeks of stay at home order and self-quarantining we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We were about to be off the watch list and businesses can reopen.

This was the first glimpse of normalcy we had in several months. We were happy, nervous, and excited all at the same time. That too was short lived, as we were back on the watch list within weeks and businesses closed again.

Currently, we just came of the watch list again and are in a period of waiting. Waiting to see if we remain off the list and can have some basic things like hair cuts and gyms.

So yes, absolutely the last 6 months have been a COVID Coaster! We have experienced fear, stress, sadness, grief, anxiety, loneliness and so much more. It is important to recognize the challenging times and know you are not alone.

During these times, it is important to check in with yourself and your friends. Make sure to do self-care and know the signs of mental health conditions and seek help as needed.

Stay safe!!

WOUNDS WE CANNOT SEE Post Traumatic Stress Disorder does not always allow the affected to seek help.

Lend a hand and provide them with methods of help, listen and be a friend.

Homeland Magazine works with nonprofit veteran organizations that help more than 1 million veterans in life-changing ways each year.

Resources.

Support.

Inspiration.

At Homneland Magazine you can visit our website for all current and past articles relating to PTSD, symptoms, resources and real stories of inspiration.

Resources & Articles available at: www.HomelandMagazine.com

FIGHTING PTSD

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How to Help

Someone with Suicidal Thoughts Approaching someone who is struggling can be difficult, but it’s worth the discomfort to help save a life.

ASK Ask the person if they think about dying or killing themselves. Don’t hesitate to do this - asking will not put the idea in their head, nor will it make them more likely to attempt suicide.

LISTEN Start a conversation with the person and listen without judging to show you care. Create a safe space for them to share their feelings and vent. DO NOT swear to secrecy.

STAY Don’t leave the person alone. Stay with them or make sure they are in a private, secure place with another caring person until you can get further help.

SECURE If you suspect the person could be a harm to themselves, take them seriously. Remove any objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.

CALL Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 and follow their guidance.

If danger for self-harm seems immediate, call 911.

ndbh.com/suicide Sources: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services; Centers for Disease Control

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A Veteran-led program serving our military-connected community‌including Active Duty, Veterans, National Guard, Reservists and their family members.

24/7 Access to Resources and Peer Support

Call 877-698-7838 or dial 2-1-1 Courage2Call

Visit our website at

www.Courage2Call.org

@CourageToCall @CourageToCall

WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2020

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Real Talk: Mental Health

By Jenny Lynne Stroup, Outreach Coordinator for the Cohen Clinic at VVSD

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month “If you say, ‘I should’ve jumped off the Exit 9 overpass when I had the chance,’ ever again, I will call someone.”

Never in my life did I think those words would come out of my mouth, most especially to my husband. But I meant it. And I do mean it, even still today.

It wasn’t a threat or an ultimatum. It was and is the truth.

I spent an entire year of my life wondering if my husband would come home from war. And I spent the last several years wondering if he ever really did.

Lots of words I never thought would be a part of our vocabulary: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attack, and mild Traumatic Brain Injury are now common vernacular at our house. I didn’t think that suicide was ever going to be one that was among them.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. And as a military spouse it is an awareness campaign that I wish I did not have such a connection with.

I wish the statistics of veteran suicide weren’t as staggering as they are. I wish that what are often referred to as the invisible wounds of war weren’t referred to as “invisible” because they are anything but.

I wish that these wounds didn’t twist their tendrils into every facet of daily life and make someone believe that the world, his family, and his friends would be better off if he were dead.

Because that is not the truth. Read that again. All the signs were there. The overeating, the under sleeping, the high anxiety and irritability. The isolation, the mood swings, the rage, and the belief that all of this was a burden too heavy for our family. They are easy to see now, on this side of all that pain.

They weren’t so easy to see then. We had just moved across the country. He was in a very fast-paced, highstress environment.

Any of the above symptoms could have been attributed to all of the external factors that were making life challenging, not to mention back-to-back deployments that preceded the move. Needless to say, it was easy to write it all off as a natural consequence of high stress driven by a lot of different factors.

So what does “prevention” really look like?

How do you know the difference between lots of life stress and suicidal ideations?

When they say they’d rather not live than live like this, believe them.

Believe them and enlist the help of friends, family, and community.

Community made all the difference for me as I supported my loved one. It looked like having someone I could talk to about what was going on at my house.

Community looked like having someone listen and ask if we needed help. It looked like a collective effort.

It looked like a place where there wasn’t a stigma for me or my husband when either of us needed a place to talk.

To not feel like we had a third-eye on our forehead, or that we would be shunned for having a difficult time.

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Here are a couple of do’s and don’ts from the Defense Suicide Prevention Office that I’ve found to be useful when helping someone in a crisis, regardless of their affiliation as a service member or veteran: DO: • Be direct – talk openly about the issue.

• Listen and allow the expression of feelings.

• Be non-judgmental. Don’t debate right/wrong or the validity of feelings.

• Get involved, be available, and show interest.

• Offer the hope of alternatives, but not general reassurance such as, “It could be worse.”

• Get them help from specialists.

• Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (and press 1) if you need help getting through the crisis.

HOMELAND

• Remember that people who receive treatment for mental health get better. Treatment works.

Veteran Resources & Organizations

DON’T: • Dare them to do it.

• Act shocked, putting distance between you • Don’t be sworn to secrecy. Seek help.

During the month of September, you can help combat stigma and raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention, connect with people you know impacted by suicide, raise awareness, and share resources to help those at risk.

And for those of you reading this who are still wondering - we are not better off without you around.

You are not alone.

Jenny Lynne Stroup serves as the Outreach Coordinator for the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Veterans Village of San Diego. www.vvsd.net/cohenclinicsandiego The Cohen Clinic at VVSD is one of 16 mental health clinics nationwide under Stamford-based nonprofit Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) which focuses on providing targeted treatments for a variety of mental health challenges facing post-9/11 veterans and military families, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, transition challenges, and more.

• The Cohen Clinic at VVSD www.cohenveteransnetwork.org

Navigating the resources available to veterans can be confusing, but Homeland Magazine believes no veteran should have to go it alone.

At Homeland Magazine you can find Veteran organizations and private nonprofits with resources for veterans that can help ease the process of attaining earned benefits, coping with the lasting effects of service-connected injuries and finding programs and services that meet your specific needs.

Homeland Magazine Resources & Organizations available at

www.HomelandMagazine.com

Homeland Magazine

• Targeted Treatments www.cvn.wpengine.com/at-a-glance

A Veterans Magazine for Veterans by Veterans

WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2020

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R E S O

WOUNDS WE CANNOT SEE

U

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder does not always allow the affected to seek help. Lend a hand and provide them with methods of help, listen and be a friend.

R

Homeland Magazine works with nonprofit veteran organizations that help more than 1 million veterans in life-changing ways each year.

C

Resources.

E

Support.

Inspiration.

S

At Homeland Magazine you can visit our website for all current and past articles relating to PTSD, symptoms, resources and real stories of inspiration.

Resources & Articles available at:

www.HomelandMagazine.com

FIGHTING PTSD 32

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Arts & Healing Arts for Military Veterans

By Amber Robinson

Veteran Artist Spotlight: “Artist Chato” For this third consecutive San Diego Veteran Artist Spotlight I am featuring local artist and Navy veteran ​ Ruben Chato Hinojosa, Jr.​“Chato” as he is called, has become a well-known fine art creator in San Diego, acclaimed for his s​ culptures, eagles, wildlife, pets, military and First Responders art. He is a proudly enrolled tribal member of Lipan Apache Tribe Texas ​ #1691 t​ he Tcha”shka o’zahaye (Little Breech-Clout People), w ​ ho are Southern Athabaskan (Apachean).

Chato joined the Navy in 1988 as a Engineer at the age of 23, after he was inspired to serve by a World War II veteran. While working on an offshore platform as a welding assistant, Chato witnessed a fellow welder fall into the ocean during a work accident. Without thinking, Chato jumped 20 feet downward into an equipment basket which he rode down, slamming into a cold January ocean to help his fellow welder.

Chato left the service with a new drive to further bolster his creativity and art. Highly creative from a young age, as a child he remembers a conversation at a sacred site with a golden eagle who said it was his spirit guide. This majestic bird advised him to be one with nature, only then would he find his true strength. After this experience, little Chato felt inspired and sought to express what he saw and felt.

“Back at home I painted a mural of wildlife with my chalks from school on my bedroom wall, to the huge amazement of my family,” he said. “I still remember my Father’s proud energy!”

The only other man to act as quickly was a Vietnam veteran who worked on the platform as well.

Between Chato and he, they were able to bring the worker to safety. After this rescue, the owner of the offshore platform, a World War II Navy Veteran named Mr. Johnson, pulled Chato aside.

“I can pay anyone to do the job you are doing,” Johnson said, “but I cannot pay someone to do what you just did, young man. You should consider joining the military.”

Chato took Johnson up on his advice and joined the United States Navy soon after. He served for almost ten years, in various capacities, from engineering to amphibious​operations to serving on special boat teams. He also served in the Gulf War, Gulf Shield and Gulf Storm. Chato feels he has been blessed to have such a diverse path with so many different opportunities.

“This naval adventure encompassed with other military branches was an educational experience of a lifetime that engraved a military bond of brotherhood in me which is irreplaceable,” said

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Majestic

Therefore, after the service Chato poured himself back into the world of art. He used his GI Bill to further his arts education in both fine art and music. He attended both Golden West College and Mesa College in California during and after service, his majors being Fine Art, Honors Art History, Honors World Music and Foreign Language. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Rosa Parks Music Scholarship in 2001 (American Indian Flutes).

Post college, he was selected as the 2 ​ 018 California State Capitol Native American Day Artist​. And, most recently, was selected to display his art at the S ​ an Diego Museum of Contemporary Arts​, for Veteran’s Day 2019.

Chato says his art post service can be described in one word, “Nalwodi”, which means strength in Apache. He believes that life must be a balance of strength and happiness, a strength he would need to test when he had to undergo brain surgery on April 24, 2012. During this surgery he experienced what many may classify a near-death experience.

“I was on a great White Spirit Eagle who said ‘I am ​itsa’​as we were flying into the brightest light ever conceived,” said Chato. “But​itsa’​brought me back down onto nature, then said ‘it’s not your time.”

Because of his visions of eagles, much of Chato’s work is of eagles. His first painting in 1999 of an eagle and his first eagle sculpture in 2000 began what he calls his “Nalwodi Series”. In 2017 he introduced his “Happiness Series”, a collection of puppies and hummingbirds which Chato feels are nature’s “messengers of joy”.

As an Apache, he feels his creativity and balance of strength and happiness comes from his heritage and his deep connection to nature. Despite the darkness he has suffered in his life from generational and personal trauma, art and the joy of life continues to inspire him and buoy him on.

“Art and creativity is like a warm morning sunrise upon my face as it brings a spiritual joy deep within my heart,” said Chato. “It is both a healing and essential balance for me on a daily basis. This is my strength to heal from a negative past and walk into the light ahead of me.”

Aside from creating beautiful art, Chato is also an actor, writer, storyteller and seeks to advocate for his fellow veterans and those who suffer with disabilities. He deeply believes in the power of art to inspire, heal and build a better world. To learn more about Chato’s many talents, art and vision, visit his website at w ​ ww.Chato.com

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Support the Reopening of the 9/11 Memorial Donate today to sustain the 9/11 Memorial.

Museum to Reopen to 9/11 Families on September 11, General Public on September 12

www.911memorial.org The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is committed to providing relevant and engaging learning opportunities for students, teachers, families, and the general public.

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WE WILL NEVER FORGET

PRESENTS

FALL 2020 VIRTUAL SHOWCASE Oct 1 & 2, 2020

Catch hand-picked films for, by, and about military and veterans.

Tickets and information at

GIFilmFestivalSD.org Catch a film. Be inspired. Build community.

GIFFSD returns May 18-23, 2021 GIFilmFestivalSanDiego | PRESENTED BY

@GIFilmFestSD

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

FUNDED IN PART BY

KPBS is a public service of San Diego State University.

WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2020

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WHAT’S NEXT Transition to Civilian Life

By Eve Nasby

Taking a Step Back to Move Forward: How One Marine Tackled Transition Against All Odds Aaron, a son of two Marines, served as a Marine Drill Instructor. During his decade of service, he traveled the world and built Marines. He also gave his everything.

Aaron’s commitment and dedication to the service also came with sacrificing both his physical and mental health to the point that he was no longer sustainable.

At age 29, with a family and another baby on the way, Aaron knew it was time to transition out of his duties in the military and into the workforce.

With this newfound camaraderie, he found himself thriving in the on-campus Student Veterans Organization and quickly became a leader in the group. This served as the foundation and motivation to make other changes towards accomplishing his goals.

Next, he realized his major wasn’t suiting him, so he changed from Economics to IT and suddenly began to thrive. Studying something he loved allowed his perspective to change for the better.

Aaron thought he was ready. He had been a successful and motivated Marine and was financially prepared to go back to college with the help of the GI Bill. The thought of finishing his education and entering the workforce seemed like a simple enough transition of which he’d given plenty of preparation.

However, once he plunged straight into college alongside the 19-20-year-old Gen Z’ers, he found that he wasn’t prepared to handle the effects of the aftermath of his years dedicated to service.

His previous life as a Drill Instructor took a toll on his body. He was hobbling around campus with a cane in constant pain. He suffered from PTSD. He took antidepressants, which made it difficult for him to stay focused on classes. He had 10 years and a lifetime worth of accomplishments on these classmates, but couldn’t keep up with any of them.

This former “Superman” who had seen the world and built Marines was now sitting in a room surrounded by seemingly non-motivated kids who did just enough to get by. This was not the Marine Corps style he was used to living.

He missed the camaraderie from the Corps.

He said, “It took a couple of years to tone myself down.” This mental transition led to him actively finding people on campus that shared his work ethic and views.

Even more impressively, Aaron decided to quit all of his meds.

Cold turkey. Withdraws and all, Aaron graduated with a 3.4 and is now pursuing a graduate degree.

Aaron never gave up. He was up against many personal odds,and it took him over 300 application submissions before finally landing an IT job that suited him. While the process was grueling and frustrating, he gained some invaluable learnings along the way. He credits his journey to success and in landing this job to the following key takeaways:

Dave Grundies

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1. Get Connected Reach out to someone. Have someone to talk to. Find groups to join. Camaraderie is an essential support system, and it helps you stay mentally positive.

The Student Veterans organization gave him the foundation and strength to make other necessary changes. He also joined the university’s IT professional group and quickly found his roots with a team of likeminded and driven people versus living a stagnant college lifestyle.

2. Be the Right Fit Make sure you’re matching yourself to the job before submitting your resume. It’s your job to show the hiring manager that you’re a fit. Look at the “Preferred Qualifications” listed in the job description, and make sure those are also listed at the top of your resume as YOUR qualifications.

3. Interview with the STAR method.

It’s easy to ramble or not sound succinct when answering interview questions. The STAR method is a simple format that stands for “Situation, Task, Action, Result” that keeps you focused, clear, and results-oriented.

4. Don’t give up.

It sounds simple, but it isn’t. Just don’t quit. When Aaron transitioned out, he could barely walk. Mentally and physically, he was spent, but he didn’t give up. Neither should you.

5. Be prepared to take a step back.

Aaron came out of the Marines as a leader’s leader, but then started at ground zero in his education. Instead of focusing on strategic classes, he pivoted to tactical ones to help him successfully learn a new trade. Now he’s ready to lead in that field.

6. Take a DISC assessment or personality test.

Knowing your own strengths, weaknesses, and communication style is vital in all aspects of life. Aaron said “these tests help you to look deeply inward and know what weaknesses you need to improve upon. We are good at pointing out each other’s flaws but not our own.”

7. Get Out The hardest thing is to get out and talk to people.

Don’t sit inside. Don’t procrastinate. Go hang out with someone and feel what you felt when you were in the military. Meet up with like-minded people.

Find a career counselor or mental health counselor to help you through this journey.

The transition from active duty is tough. While the military security blanket offsets some of the physical and emotional stress of being in the service during that time, it disappears once you receive your DD214.

It’s challenging to lose that security blanket while taking physical and emotional pain with you after the transition. Following Aaron’s tips will help you succeed as you transition.

WHAT’S NEXT Transitioning out of the Military into the Civilian Workforce?

Finding a job in the civilian world may seem easy at first. After all, you have learned skills, practiced leadership and demonstrated initiative that will make you successful wherever you go. The reality, though, is that it can be difficult. In fact, it can be down right depressing, demotivating and you may feel totally disillusioned.

This column is dedicated to you and to helping you succeed in your transition.

Eve is a seasoned recruiting executive and business owner. She is driven to help people find the right job for and to help companies find the right talent.

She is especially passionate about helping military professionals transition into the civilian workforce.

If you need help with your career transition, connect with her on LinkedIn.

There are a variety of free (and confidential) online personality tests. Knowing yourself helps you be your best self.

www.linkedin.com/in/eve-nasby-given-0050452/

For advice, tips and programs you can read Eve’s monthly column at: www.homelandmagazine.com/category/whats-next-transition/

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EXPERT books from HR expert PAUL FALCONE

Pick up any of these book by Paul Falcone from your favorite retailer or at HarperCollinsLeadership.com www.hcleadershipessentials.com

WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2020

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Prep Work Before an Interview: Doing Your Homework

By Paul Falcone Landing an interview is always inspiring because it presents new and exciting possibilities. Of course, you want to be yourself and comfortable sharing your life and military career experiences with a prospective employer, but the time you take to educate yourself about the organization in advance demonstrates respect and helps you stand out among your peers. “Informed Candidacy” is the concept that you’re well versed in the organization’s mission, role, and demographics. “Candidate Desire Factor” indicates your motivation to go the extra mile and learn about the company in advance of the interview, and all things being equal, often swings an offer decision in favor of those who prepare well and do their homework.

• Preparing for a Telephone Screening Interview Preparing appropriately can seem like a monumental task when it comes to research, but focusing on the basics is the best place to start. Create a one-sheet for yourself so that you’re armed with an organizational overview before your call begins. The info below can be gleaned from the Internet in about 20 minutes: - Company Name

• Year Founded

• Recognition / Awards

- Headquarters Location

• Primary Line of Business

• Website Address Findings

- Publicly Traded / Privately Held (Stock Ticker, if Public)

• Secondary Line(s) of Business

• LinkedIn Page Findings

- Annual Revenue

• Names of CEO, CFO, COO and Average Tenure

• Facebook Page Findings

- Employees

• Top Competitors

• Google Findings

This sheet can remain front and center in your leather folder for future.

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R E S E A R C H

• Preparing for an In-Person or Second Round Interview Next, assuming your initial research investment paid off and the employer wants to schedule in-person or second round of interviews, you might want to learn more about the organization, both for your own self-confidence and to impress your upcoming interviewer.

In those cases, research deeper using some of the following resources to find financial statements, credit reports, industry competitive information, and company snapshots: Publicly Traded Company Research Sites Zacks Investment Research (www.zacks.com/screening) Hoovers (www.hoovers.com) U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html) Bloomberg Businessweek (http://investing.businessweek.com/research/company/overview/overview.asp) Nonprofit Research Sites Guide Star (www.guidestar.org) Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance (www.bbb.org/us/charity/) Company Culture and Small, Privately Held Organization Sites Glassdoor (www.glassdoor.com) PayScale (www.payscale.com) Salary.com (www.salary.com) Simply type the name of the organization you’re researching into the search bar, and you’ll get varying levels of information with specialty focuses. For example, the SEC’s Edgar database lists public company financial filings, while Bloomberg Businessweek targets recent company news and headlines. With your one-sheet Company Research Overview in hand, be sure to ask two or three “smart” interview questions before the conclusion of your meeting based on your research. You don’t have to overdo it, but it’s important that you let every interviewer know subtly that you went out of your way to research the organization in advance of your meeting.

Your investment of time and energy will likely be very well received, especially since few candidates come armed with this level of data and market intelligence because they simply don’t know where to look to conduct their research. You can now make this one of your strategic advantages going forward. “Candidate, Know Thy Company” should remain a critical principle in every career candidate’s job search strategy because it’s front and center in every organization’s recruitment and selection efforts.

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ENLISTED TO ENTREPRENEUR

By Vicki Garcia

7 Strategic Business Pivots to Make During Covid-19 Let’s start from the beginning…your mindset. If you panic, all really could be lost. But, if you get control of your point of view, you may be able to see the opportunities Covid-19 presents.

President John F. Kennedy, in Indianapolis on April 12, 1959, in a speech incorrectly said, “The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity.” That sounds great. Easy to remember and catchy. So, we will hang on to it to propel us forward and if we say it often enough it at least it is comforting.

Nothing is going to go back to “normal.” Nothing will be the same. So, let’s look for opportunities hiding in plain sight.

Everything is Temporary An economic downturn especially with a plague that devastates the business world, is like a forest fire. It burns off all the deadwood and marginal players, leaving a space for you to thrive. As painful as it can be, it does not last forever. It will, sooner or later, get beaten down and no longer be a major obsession.

1. Think Creatively. Most business owners, including me, have our heads filled with the noise of keeping cash flow going and serving our customers. With this requirement to isolate ourselves, use this time to set your mind free. Keep a notebook. Sit under a tree and empty your head. See what comes up and write it down.

Keep that notebook on your nightstand too. You’re at your most creative just before you fall asleep.

2. Start Planning. The coronavirus epidemic has created many challenges for businesses. This means your business needs a plan so you can prepare for future growth and success. Now is the time to perform competitive research. Pivot to meet the potential needs of your customers and wrap your business strategy around their needs. I suggest you join the California Veterans Chamber of Commerce. (www.caveteranschamber.com/tools) for FREE, go to the Tools page and use the Business Power Tool management system to gather all your work on one dashboard.

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3. Communicate.

Can you manage to stay open with different hours?

Can you create special hours for seniors and other highrisk customers to shop safely with fewer customers?

Post this on your website and social media, especially your Google Business listing. Ask your customers for advice on what they need.

People want to know how your business has changed because of the virus. Assure them their health and safety are your #1 concern. Tell them what you’re doing to ensure a safe shopping experience. Start selling your most popular products online. Offer curbside pickup if appropriate.

4. Pivot to Meet the New Needs of Your Customers.

Quarantine at home generates unique new needs for your customers. What can you do to address this crazy situation? It may be that their needs have not changed, just their ability to come to you.

Are you offering pick up or delivery? Let customers know what you are doing to accommodate them during this new, and hopefully temporary, normal. Look what car dealerships have done with delivering new cars to buyers.

5. Implement New Technologies. www.Zoom.com is the best thing to ever happen during an epidemic. With Zoom you can have “in-person” meetings without ever getting up from your computer.

Starting a Business as a Veteran?

www.Slack.com is “a channel is a place for everything related to a project, topic or team. Everyone in a channel sees the same messages and stays on the same page.” www.Evernote.com helps you to find information faster, and share ideas with anyone. Keep meeting notes, web pages, projects, and to-do lists. Evernote. com allows you to create and share notes and files in real time, so your team always has the latest updates. www.Basecamp.com breaks up your work into separate projects. Each project contains everything related to the work at hand; all the people involved, every discussion, every document, file, task, important date, etc.

6. Learn a New Skill. Do you want to learn to use Instagram? Master your video marketing skills.

Training videos abound on YouTube.

Learn a new language. www.Duolingo.com allows you to learn a new language for free by far the most popular language learning program for smartphones.

It’s used by 300 million people all over the world. One of the great things about Duolingo is that it has made language learning accessible to everyone. Signups for Duolingo has surged during the epidemic. So, jump on board.

7. Package Your Expertise. Package up that knowledge in your head and turn it into a booklet on Simplebooklet.com This cool site allows you to make a brochure, booklet, flyer, or whatever. Get creative.

Have a restaurant? How about a cookbook? Car repair expert? Make a booklet for car repair novices. You can then make it go live, push it out on social media, send it as an email, etc. This is mucho fun to work with. Now you might have the time to do it. You can see my Start Up and Take Off at https://midd.me/7Sse

Vicki Garcia is the Co-Founder of Operation Vetrepreneur & President of Marketing Impressions, a 30+ -year- old marketing consulting firm. Apply to join Operation Vetrepreneur’s FREE one-on-one mentoring at www.veteransinbiz.com.

Join the California Veterans Chamber of Commerce for FREE at www.caveteranschamber.com Email Vicki with column ideas at veteransinbiz@gmail.com

The transition from military service to civilian life can be a difficult one, especially when it comes to your career.

That’s why a growing number of veterans choose to forge their own path and become entrepreneurs after leaving the Armed Forces.

While starting a business comes with numerous challenges, former service members do have one distinct advantage: the veteran community.

“The strength and power of veteran entrepreneurs comes from other veteran entrepreneurs” Unlike most highly competitive entrepreneurial environments, veteran entrepreneurs share information much more easily.

If you or someone you know is a veteran looking to start a business, please feel free to contact Vicki Garcia.

Vicki is the Co-Founder of Operation Vetrepreneur & President of Marketing Impressions, a 33+ -year- old marketing consulting firm. If you want support for starting up a business, email her at vicki@veteransinbiz.com.

For advice, tips and programs you can read Vicki’s monthly column at www.HomelandMagazine.com

ENLISTED TO ENTREPRENEUR www.homelandmagazine.com/category/enlisted-to-entrepreneur/

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legal Eagle Straight-forward legal tips for Military and Veteran Business Owners

By Kelly Bagla, Esq.

STARTING A BUSINESS IN AFTERMATH OF COVID-19 We are living during a strange time in history. In a matter of a few short months, our way of life has changed on a global scale. Businesses have had to change the way they operate in response to the coronavirus epidemic and it is certain that because of these changes things will never be the same.

So, what does this mean for entrepreneurs who wish to start a business? Should they even bother taking such a risk during these times? As a general observation, there is a spike in new business and innovation after each global financial crisis. This happened after 9/11, and the 2008 recession, and even the great depression in the 1920s. Each spawned new business and introduced an innovation that changed our way of life as a result of having to adapt. Social media and e-commerce came after 9/11, the gig economy introduced ride-sharing, co-working space, and online payments after the rescission.

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As a result of COVID-19, the needs of the market have changed and businesses that aim to begin during this time must look at factors that could impact how they serve their potential customers. This begins by conducting an extensive analysis of the market to find indicators that could affect how the industry has changed. For instance, retailers must now take a hard look at e-commerce as part of their business model.

Due to the staying at home directives, many people who had never done so before started shopping and interacting online. Restaurants that did not have pickup or delivery options before quickly saw the need to adapt that process into their model.

New businesses must take a look at their own industry markets and understand how COVID-19 has affected the way business is conducted and adapt that process into their model if they wish to succeed.

Across all industries, social distancing has made changes with how customers and businesses interact.

Safety practices dictated by the CDC are now front and center. Managers and owners are providing better training and safety guidelines for their employees. New businesses must also include this in their operations and sales plans if they are to confirm to new social guidelines.

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Veterans Chamber of Commerce

By Joseph Molina www.vccsd.org

Education our “New Field Gear” One thing remains true - getting the right education and or training is ultimately essential to remain competitive in almost every field. That is especially true in uncertain economic times when demand or positions available are low.

Military and Veterans: We as Veterans have some awesome incentives when it comes to education.

The key is to know what we want to pursue since the opportunities are plenty, but we must know where to look or who to ask. In this article, we will take a look at some of the opportunities available to veterans.

When it Comes to Degrees: To be and to remain relevant and competitive in the job market, veterans need to get the right type of education matching the education with the desired career. Below are some popular degrees: • Engineering: This is popular for many reasons; Engineering jobs in the US are projected to continue to be in high demand specially in the area of new technologies. If you have technical aptitude and enjoy math, engineering may be the perfect option.

• Criminal Justice: Choosing a criminal justice degree will ensure a smooth transition to the civilian job environment as it holds similar structure and culture as when in the military. Having a military background in this field is definitely a big plus.

• Information Security: The need for professionals in information technology or IT security has grown rapidly since digital activity has become more sophisticated. This has created a need for people in this field. This industry is in dire need of qualified candidates with the right certifications.

What about Universities and Colleges?

We must realize that some universities and colleges are known to have more veterans or military than others. The National Veterans Chamber of Commerce is working on identifying those institutions who are supportive and who offer a more pro-military proveteran culture, scholarships for Veterans and Military spouses, and a more flexible academic schedule to accommodate a demanding military lifestyle. Below is a list of some of the institutions that the National Veterans Chamber has identified as Pro-Military (this is a reduced and partial list only): • Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio: Named as the best university for veterans

by Military Times, the university is known for a streamlined process for easy enrolment of the military.

• Sabio: Sabio offers Coding, Web development and with one of the best programs – ZERO payment for the program until students become employed.

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Once you score a job, your first year’s monthly payments will be $199 monthly. If you are ever unemployed, you can suspend your monthly payments without your credit taking a hit. The program offers state-of-the-art technical training that is sure to help you become a professional. Sabio also offers an Entrepreneurship Grant for students who also want to do work on the side as independent contractors. The grant covers all startup fees. Want to know more about this program? Just send me an email: veteranscsd@gmail.com • California State University (CSU), San Bernardino, California: A widely held opinion by US Veterans’ Magazine, The Military Friendly, and The Military Times is that CSU, San Bernardino organises activities that are beneficial and fun for Veterans such as, Tuesday evening veterans support groups, and a veteran resource fair.

• Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The university supports pro-military organizations and events like the Drexel Veterans Association, The Yellow Ribbon Fund and The Drexel Veterans Task Force.

• Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois: They offer qualifying Veterans a place in the university.

The university supports a Veterans Magazines, and a Veterans Club.

• Other universities and colleges we found that attract veterans: - Fordham University, New York, New York - Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida - University of California, LA - Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona

• Air Force Family Members: Air Force Aid Society General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program.

This grant is described as “the centrepiece” of Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) education programs, offering need-based education grants to qualifying Air Force dependents.

• Army Emergency Relief Spouse Education Assistance Program: This is a need-based scholarship program which enables the veteran’s spouse to obtain an undergraduate degree. If they meet the criteria.

• Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) Education Assistance Program: This education assistance program is in the form on interest-free loans that range from $500 to $3000 per year for both spouses of active service members and veterans.

In summary: Education Degree based or certifications is becoming even more crucial to the success of transitioning military. As we transition into the civilian market, it becomes obvious that education, training, skills, certificates are our “New Gear” – It is still up to us to know which direction we need to take in order for this New Gear to be useful to us. Definitely shop around when it comes to education, ask questions, get involve in Internships and definitely participate in the skillsbridge program.

The Veterans Chamber of Commerce Radio Show

Partial list of education programs that also welcome spouses. Veteran spouses are eligible for education programs to spouses seeking a degree or for advancing a career. These education assistance programs are offered by each branch of the military for spouses. Below are just some of the educational programs:

• Would you like to recognize a Hero in your Community?

Let us know and we will announce it on the show.

• The GI Bill: GI Bill may be transferred to a veteran spouse or child provided guidelines are followed by service member. Counsellors at Trade Schools, Universities and/or Community Colleges are equipped to answer detailed questions on availability on all of these programs.

• Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) Supplemental Education Grants: This program offers financial assistance to veteran family members to help off-set certain costs to either obtaining a college degree or a vocational training certificate.

• Would you like to share your story?

Be our guest on the show. Visit our REQUEST FORM (https://www.vccsd.org/radioshow.html) just fill it out and send it to us.

If you have any ideas or project that you would like to see developed by the Veterans Chamber send your

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Homeland Magazine Resources Support Health Inspiration

www. HomelandMagazine.com Voted 2017, 2018 & 2019 BEST resource, support media for veterans, military families & military personnel.

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GET CONNECTED! A Veterans Magazine for Veterans by Veterans Visit Homeland today at: www.HomelandMagazine.com For details contact us info@homelandmagazine.com and or(858) 275-4281

Homeland Magazine Your best source for military - veteran news, press releases, national and online events, media, entertainment and more…

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- Publishing Date – The 1st of each month.

- Space Reservation Deadline – Mid Month.

- Drop deadlines vary with confirmation and month (Call for monthly details) * Please note themes & additional features are added closer to issue publication date.

INSIDE THE ISSUES * Editorial Content “Every Month” Includes the following: • Monthly Featured Articles Resources, support, inspiration and human interest articles from contributing veteran organizations throughout the country.

• Homeland Columns (Award Winning) Transition, financial, legal, health, veteran life, arts, military families, Plus - guest industry & advocate writers & more...

Join Us Homeland Magazine Voted 2017, 2018 & 2019 BEST resource, support magazine for veterans, transitioning military personnel, active military, military families & veteran organizations

GET CONNECTED! 3.5 Million Strong - Nationwide 52

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• Hot Topics - Military personnel & veterans in transition, educational resources & opportunities, civilian jobs, jobs for vets, careers in law enforcement, veteran entrepreneurship, healthcare & more...

• HEALTH CARE Fighting PTSD, healthcare, mental health, research studies & more...

• Monthly Calendar Information Military & national holidays, Including events (airshow, military/veteran film festivals, fleet Week, city job fairs, EDU seminars,workshops and more...

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2020 Editorial Calendar & Themes • JANUARY

Veterans Life 2020 Military, Veterans and Families 2020 Health 2020

• FEBRUARY

Adaptive Sports Transition / Education Military Spouse & Family

• MARCH

Women’s History Month Brain Injury Awareness Month Month of the Military Caregiver

• APRIL

Month of the Military Child Transition - Health - Service

• MAY

Memorial Day Issue National Military Appreciation Month

• JUNE

PTSD Awareness Month Mental Health Programs - Clinics

Editorial Additions July - Dec 2020 * Starting July 2020 - Added focus on education,

transition & financial security for active military and veterans to combat the challenge of transitioning due to the effects of COVID-19

• AUGUST

Summer Issue Purple Heart Day Tribute To Service Dogs Transitioning to Civilian Life GI Bill - Education - Workshops - Careers Entrepreneurship - Healthcare

• SEPTEMBER

“Never Forget” 9/11 Gold Star Mother’s Day National Suicide Prevention Month Transitioning to Civilian Life GI Bill - Education - Workshops - Careers Entrepreneurship - Healthcare

• OCTOBER

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Transition Assistance Programs Transitioning to Civilian Life GI Bill - Education - Workshops - Careers Entrepreneurship - Healthcare

• NOVEMBER - (Premier Issue) VETERANS DAY ISSUE Transitioning to Civilian Life GI Bill - Education - Workshops - Careers Entrepreneurship - Healthcare

• DECEMBER

• JULY

Independence Day Disabled Veterans

Holiday Issue / BEST of 2020 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Wreaths Across America

Transitioning to Civilian Life GI Bill - Education - Workshops - Careers Entrepreneurship - Healthcare

Transitioning to Civilian Life GI Bill - Education - Workshops - Careers Entrepreneurship -Healthcare

Colonel Robert Thacker

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PTSD COACH PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. More than half of individuals experience at least one trauma in their lives.

The National Center for PTSD offers FREE, confidential mobile apps that provide help, education, and support related to mental health.

Download PTSD Coach to:

Learn about PTSD and available treatments Track your PTSD symptoms over time Practice relaxation, mindfulness, and other stress-management exercises Grow your support network Access crisis resources

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PTSD Coach is not meant to replace professional care.

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