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www.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com
SAN DIEGO Vol. 2 Number 1 • January 2020
MAGAZINE
A Warrior Finds New Purpose in Yoga
San Diego Veteran of the Month
WHAT’S NEXT Transitioning to Civilian Life
Art & Healing
Enlisted To Entrepreneur
LEGAL EAGLE 2020 SOLUTIONS
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ake a magic journey through 5,000 years of civilization! Travel back to ancient dynasties. Watch myths and legends come alive. Discover vibrant ethnic and folk traditions. Stunning classical Chinese dance, colorful costuming, breathtaking backdrops and enchanting melodies will not only delight your senses, but also nourish your soul. Shen Yun returns to Escondido and San Diego with an all-new 2020 program. Experience the power of Shen Yun!
“Exquisitely beautiful. An extraordinary experience.” —Cate Blanchett, Academy Award-winning actress
Travel Back to Grand Dynasties
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Explore Ethnic & Folk Traditions
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A Perfect Gift. Get Tickets Today! 888.973-7469 | ShenYun.com/SD 2
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all-new
cirque christmas show
all-new
ice skating show
over 1 million glimmering lights
WE ARE PROUD TO SALUTE THE MEN & WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED IN OUR ARMED FORCES
NOW–JAN. 5
Experience SeaWorld’s festive decorations, over 1 million glimmering lights, holiday shows & attractions like the All-New Winter Wonderland on Ice, the All-New Cirque Christmas & more. Plus, meet Rudolph & Santa Claus himself.
PLEASE VISIT YOUR LOCAL ITT OFFICE FOR TICKETS Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and all related elements © & TM under license to Character Arts, LLC. All rights reserved. © 2019 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.
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EDITOR’S
LETTER
Publisher Editor-In-Chief Mike Miller mikemiller@SDVetsMagazine.com mikemiller@HomelandMagazine.com
Contributing Writers Holly Shaffner Veteran Advocate - Honor Flight SD
RanDee McLain, LCSW A Different Lens
Vicki Garcia
Enlisted to Entrepreneur
CJ Machado
SD Vets & Homeland Photojournalist
Kelly Bagla, Esq. Legal Eagle
Joe Molina Veterans Chamber of Commerce
Eve Nasby
What’s Next - Transitioning
Amber Robinson
www.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com
Arts & Healing
Scott Hermann Cybersecurity
Greetings and a warm welcome to San Diego Veterans Magazine! Please take some time to get to know the layout of our magazine. The Magazine focuses on San Diego 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 San Diego veteran organizations, resource centers, coalitions, veteran advocates, and more. We are honored to share the work of so many committed and thoughtful people. San Diego Veterans Magazine is a veterans magazine for veterans by veterans. We appreciate your support and are so happy to have you as a reader of San Diego Veterans Magazine.
Mike Miller Editor-In-Chief
mikemiller@SDVetsMagazine.com mikemiller@HomelandMagazine.com 4
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Collaborative Organizations Veterans Association of North County • Shelter To Soldier • Wounded Warrior Project San Diego • DAV • Father Joe’s Village • VetCTAP • Flying Leathernecks • Give An Hour • UCSD • Courage To Call • Honor Flight San Diego • Veteran Advocates & Guest Writers
San Diego Veterans Magazine 9528 Miramar Road, #41 San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 275-4281 Contact us at: publisher@SDVetsMagazine.com San Diego Veterans 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.
JANUARY INSIDE THIS ISSUE
6 San Diego Veteran of the Month 8 DAV - A Night Out 9 Irene Ferguson Wife Recognition Award 16 A Warrior Finds New Purpose in Yoga 20 SD FOOTBALL - Salute to Service Game 24 VA San Diego Healthcare - Research 26 A Different Lens - Year In Review 28 RESOLUTION SOLUTIONS 30 Arts & Healing - Artistic Resolutions 32 What’s Next - Transition 2020 34 Enlisted to Entrepreneur - Meet 2020 38 Veterans Bring Leadership 40 Legal Eagle - Veteran Business 42 Military Money - Financial Calendar 44 Cybersecurity - Personal Theft 50 Armed Services YMCA 53 JOIN US - San Diego Veterans
2020
* Cover - Photo by Robert Sturman www.robertsturmanstudio.com
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VETERAN OF THE MONTH San Diego - January 2020 By Patricia Laubach
Veteran of the Month: Major Glenn Ferguson (USMC-retired) A 26-year veteran of the Marine Corps with combat tours in both World War II and Korea, Major Glenn Ferguson is January’s “Veteran of the Month.” He learned to fly on aircraft with fabric-covered bi-wings, served as a dive bomber pilot in the Pacific Theater during WWII, flew a medical evacuation helicopter in Korea, and was a Marine One pilot for President Eisenhower. He volunteers with the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum and founded the Irene Ferguson Marine Marine Wife Recognition Award. From San Diego’s MCRD to FDR’s White House A case of “wanderlust” motivated Major Glenn Ferguson (USMC-retired), born in 1921 in Harvey, Illinois, to join the Marine Corps. Boot Camp was at Marine Corps Recruit Depot here in San Diego in 1939. His company held maneuvers on the land between MCRD and La Jolla . . . an area he remembers as being devoid of human inhabitants. The Higgins Boat had not yet been introduced, so his company practiced landings off the front of whaling boats. While engaged in those exercises, he observed planes flying over North Island. It re-ignited his dream to be a pilot. During the early years of World War II, he was assigned to protect couriers carrying top secret documents and help set up security at Shangri Lai (the presidential retreat that President Eisenhower later renamed Camp David.) Another assignment early in his career was serving as a receptionist in the White House. He interacted with many dignitaries including Admiral Leahy, Frances Perkins (Secretary of Labor) and Harry Hopkins (Advisor to FDR). Ferguson claims that the single most memorable moment of his Marine Corps career occurred while serving in the White House. 6
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One day he stopped in the hallway to admire a painting of Lincoln. As he took a step forward, President Roosevelt was wheeled around the corner. “I came very close to falling across the president’s lap.” Training on Bi-Wings to WWII in the Pacific. U.S. involvement in World War II after Pearl Harbor created a strong demand for military pilots. Ferguson was given orders to Chapel Hill to start flight training. He trained to be a pilot in N2S Stearmans (nicknamed “yellow perils”), aircraft with open-air cockpits and fabric-covered bi-wings that were started by students cranking heavy flywheels. He qualified to fly dive bombers, torpedo bombers, and fighters. Ferguson was sent to Pearl Harbor to be part of the first wave of the planned invasion of Japan, during which 1,000,000 casualties were expected. Japan surrendered while his squadron was waiting for orders to go to Japan and was diverted to China. Ferguson served the remainder of his time in the Pacific Theater as a dive bomber pilot in China, where the Manchurian Army had not yet surrendered.
After the war, Ferguson served as a Marine Corps test pilot and flight instructor. He experienced several incidents of engine failure -- and crashes. In one of the more memorable incidents, his squadron was landing two abreast on two different El Toro runways. The wing of his Corsair caught a burble and hit a large pile of dirt left by a contractor on the side of the runway. It then hit a deep drainage ditch and flipped over. He needed to be cut out of his harness by the firetruck crew. Staff at sickbay cleared him to go back to work that day, and the fire engine that came to his rescue is now in the collection of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum. - www.flyingleathernecks.org
Teaching the Next Generation about the Price of Freedom
Medical Evacuation Helicopter Pilot in Korea Ferguson was given orders to go to Pensacola to learn to fly helicopters. He recalls that early versions of HO3S helicopters had controls assisted by bungee cords. Pilots appreciated an aircraft with recently replaced bungee cords! In 1952, he was ordered to Korea as a medical evacuation helicopter pilot. Wounded were carried outside on the skids, with metal hoods over their heads to protect them from the wind. Sandbags were used to balance load, and night navigation was done by starlight. While serving in Korea, he was commended for holding three prisoners at bay using only the turning blades of his helicopter. He finished his tour by completing 134 missions, 29 of which were night missions, and evacuated 132 wounded. Ferguson characterizes serving as a medical evacuation pilot as the most meaningful assignment of his Marine Corps career. “I had done bombing and strafing, but I liked saving lives more than taking them.”
Upon full retirement, Ferguson became very active with the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in San Diego. He frequently speaks to school groups, visits schools, and supports the museum’s education initiatives. He launched the “Honor, Courage and Commitment” Essay Contest and provides support for the “Marines in Flight” Art Contest. He describes the goals of the museum’s programs as encouraging young people to learn their country’s history and “to recognize and reflect on the past and that people have fought and died for their way of life.”
Marine One with President Eisenhower After time as an instrument instructor, Ferguson joined HMX squadron after it started to fly Marine One. He flew President Eisenhower on trips in the United States and on goodwill tours of South America and the Middle East. His last tour of duty was as a flight instructor at El Toro. The commanding general of the wing was one of his students. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Ferguson held positions at several local aerospace companies.
The essays and notes from teachers indicate that the programs are generating the introspection and understanding among students that he had hoped for. Close to his heart is the Irene Ferguson Marine Wife Recognition Award, launched in memory of his wife of 64 years. The Award honors the strength and sacrifices of Marine wives. (See page 11.)
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night out A night out In 2003, two Vietnam veterans began hosting dinners for wounded military members at Walter Reed. Now, they are passing the torch to DAV. By Ashleigh Byrnes
Z
ach Herrick, an Army veteran, was shot in the face when his platoon was ambushed in Afghanistan in 2011. Herrick’s injuries were extensive—the gunshot severely damaged his lower jaw, teeth and tongue, requiring more than 20 reconstructive surgeries. He spent from 2011 to 2016 recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C. “You’re treated as a patient but still part of the military, which can be tiresome and draining on one’s recovery,” said Herrick. In 2003, Vietnam veterans and DAV life members Hal Koster and Jim Mayer recognized this truth as a growing need among returning troops wounded overseas. Koster—then a co-owner of Fran O’Brien’s Stadium Steakhouse in Washington, D.C.—had pushed much of his wartime experience out of his mind, but many of his regular customers were Vietnam veterans and VA employees. “When the war injured starting showing up at Walter Reed Hospital, [Jim] convinced me that a night away from the hospital for a patient or a family member could be very therapeutic,” said Koster. They soon began sponsoring a free weekly steak dinner for the patients and their families. Eventually, Koster started the nonprofit Aleethia Foundation, and what came to be known as the Aleethia Friday Night Dinners began rotating between different venues throughout the D.C. area, all fully funded by generous donors. “It was a good way to get out of my room and meet other people,” recalled Herrick, who started attending the dinners in 2014. “The occupational therapy department works with the service members to teach them to become accustomed to their new norm,” said Koster. “The dinners give them a chance to practice some of this training they have
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DAV National Commander Butch Whitehead greets patients from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as they arrive to the Capitol Hill Club for a dinner out.
received and do it in a safe environment.” “Friday night dinner was the only thing that I looked forward to doing, even if it was once a week,” said Herrick. “It helped give me that lifeline that I needed. There was no pressure, no obligation, no worries. Just come, eat, drink, have a relaxing time with friends. “Hal and Jim helped give us that normality back with our families and friends,” Herrick added. After 16 years of hosting the weekly dinners, Koster and Mayer are officially turning the event over to DAV to manage and operate, as the organization has been a long-time supporter of the Aleethia dinner program. “These dinners have become an institution for our wounded military members and their families, and DAV is honored to be taking the reins on such a meaningful event that has impacted so many lives,” said DAV National Adjutant Marc Burgess. “Hal and Jim have been the heart of this program, and we look forward to continuing their vision of serving and honoring the nation’s veterans.” The event will now be called DAV Night Out but will feature a nearly identical lineup of hosts. “The legacy I would like to see continued is working closely with the medical staff to not just provide a dinner to honor the patients but a dinner that supports the healing process,” said Koster. “This is a great program being taken over by a great organization. I look forward to continuing to be a part of the dinners but as a volunteer for DAV.” ■
Learn More Online www.dav.org/help-dav/dav-night-out
12/23/19 11:45 AM
Nominations Sought for the Irene Ferguson Marine Wife Recognition Award
The reason for the award is captured below in the words of Major Ferguson
Nominations are being sought for the Irene Ferguson Marine Wife Recognition Award. The award recognizes the strength, resiliency, sacrifices and dedication of women married to active-duty Marines.
My wife’s passing gave me pause to reflect on the nearly six and a half wonderful decades we shared together. In doing so, I realized that in all the museums I had visited, all the parks I had walked through, and all the buildings I had been in, none included a tribute honoring the life of commitment and sacrifice made by service wives in support of their husbands. Their men frequently left for distant lands where they usually lead busy lives; sometimes in exciting or dangerous times. Many were awarded medals and received accolades from their fellow servicemen. Their feats were often extolled in the newspapers and magazines. Unsung were the wives left behind. These steadfast women nurtured and educated their children, cared for them in times of sickness, and soothed their fears when daddy was gone. There are no medals or monuments to attest to their trials, tribulations, and victories.�
The awardee will receive public recognition at a ceremony and with a plaque at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum and other gifts. Friends and family members (other than a nominee’s husband) are urged to submit a name for consideration The award was founded by World War II pilot, Major Glenn Ferguson (USMC-retired), in memory of his beloved wife, Irene. (See article on Major Ferguson, Veteran of the Month, page 8-9.) Major Ferguson met Irene when he served in the FDR White House. They were the proud parents of two sons and were married for 64 years before her passing.
Glenn and Irene Ferguson, 1946
The all-female committee that chooses the awardee is chaired by the 2016 awardee, Lauren Huff. Its members include Marine wives as well as the granddaughter of Irene Ferguson.
2018 Marine Wife Awardee Traci Wilson, Major Ferguson, Sergeant Major Daniel Wilson
For more information on the Irene Ferguson Marine Wife Recognition Award please contact: Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum 4203 Anderson Ave, PO Box 45316 San Diego, CA 92145 www.flyingleathernecks.org - (858) 693-1723 WWW.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com / JANUARY 2020
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Meet Mark. Marine veteran
Living with multiple scle Unbelievable falsetto
San Diego Veteran Resources & Organizations
Navigating the resources available to veterans can be confusing, but San Diego Veterans Magazine believes no veteran should have to go it alone. At San Diego Veterans 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.
Was homeless (found ho
It’s been one battle after another. But thanks to Father Joe’s Villages, Mark has a roof over his head, his health under control, and a song in his heart. Help people like Mark leave homelessness behind.
neighbor.org (619) HOMELESS (466-3537)
Visit SD Vets today at www.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com
(858) 521-8349 San Diego Veterans Magazine A Veterans Magazine for Veterans by Veterans 10
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#HomelessNotHopeless
erosis
ope) 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. San Diego Veterans Magazine works with nonprofit veteran organizations that help more than 1 million veterans in lifechanging ways each year.
Resources. Support. Inspiration. At SD Vets 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.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.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
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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
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UnitedHealthcare Vision® coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, located in Hartford, Connecticut, or its affiliates. Administrative services provided by Spectera, Inc., United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. This policy has exclusions, limitations and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For costs and complete details of the coverage contact UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company. B2C 9619956.0 9/19 ©2019 United HealthCare Services, Inc. 19-12880-C
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Image used for representational purposes only; does not imply government endorsement. © 2019 Navy Federal NFCU 13698-B (10-19)
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10/8/19 2:32 PM
“root down, to rise up”
Photo by Robert Sturman www.robertsturmanstudio.com 16
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A Warrior Finds New Purpose in Yoga
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Rooting Down to Rise Up: A Warrior Finds New Purpose in Yoga Dan Nevins was severely injured in 2004 when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated beneath his vehicle in Iraq. He lost both legs below the knee and lives with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress. Things turned around for Dan when he found yoga – and a new life as a yoga teacher. What was your experience with finding a mind-body connection through yoga? Dan: It wasn’t until I adopted a yoga practice that I really began to understand the vital connection of mind and body and how poorly equipped I was to handle both physical and mental challenges. I started to discover how the best, most efficient way to combat the residual mental health issues from my experience in combat was by integrating body and mind and getting my complete “self” enrolled in the fight toward healing completely.
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What was your a-ha moment? How did that moment bring mind and body together? Dan: It was the moment when I removed my prosthetics for the first time in my yoga practice. I discovered an acute awareness that I had been disconnected. I was disconnected from the Earth and just walking around above it on prosthetic legs, unaware and basically apathetic that a lack of connection to our planet was even remotely significant. In the moment that I took off my legs and visualized what my yoga teacher had been saying, “root down, to rise up,” imagining roots growing from what was left of my lower body and then coming into Warrior One pose; that’s when the sense of connection to the earth that was missing for almost a decade came rushing back and filled my body with an energy and vitality that changed everything for me.
It was like the Earth was speaking directly into me, saying “Dan, where have you been for the last ten years?”
I know that he’d receive the same benefits that I had, but I still didn’t want to teach. That all changed when the same friend called me almost a month later to say, “thank you.”
When did you know you wanted to teach yoga? Dan: I knew that I wanted to teach yoga when a military buddy of mine who was struggling with the invisible wounds of war, confessed to me that he was considering suicide and had even attempted and was discovered in the attempt by his wife and daughter. When my friend made this confession to me, the only thing I could muster from my lips was, “You need some yoga in your life.” Much to my amazement, he said. “Teach me.” I was in disbelief in that moment, then wound up teaching my first yoga class to one man in my living room. Following that, I set him up at a yoga studio and he was going!
I thought he was thanking me for setting him up with a yoga mat and a month at his local studio, but it turns out that he was thanking me for saving his life. I didn’t understand or even believe fully until he went on to say, “Yesterday was a bad day.” It happened to be the anniversary of the day a group of his brothers were killed in Afghanistan. He continued, “I went to go get my gun… but, I grabbed my yoga mat instead.” That was all I needed to hear to realize that teaching yoga was indeed what I was called to do. Immediately after that call, I enrolled in my next two consecutive teacher trainings, this time not to deepen my practice, but to actually learn to teach. It’s the greatest decision I’ve ever made. http://www.dannevins.com/
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Not Just Another Football team in San Diego By RanDee McLain Just when the Superbowl ends each year, another league is getting started. Comprised of 21 teams throughout the country, the National Public Safety Football League (NPSFL) plays semi-professional, full-contact football and raises money for their selected charities. Every player is a sworn member of law enforcement, first responders or active duty military. San Diego has had a team since 1999. Their colors are red and black and they are the San Diego Enforcers. They are two-time National Champions and six-time Western Division Champions. For 21 years, the Enforcers have been playing semi-professional football and giving back to their local community. This year, the team experienced some changes to leadership- but the passion remains the same. Former Head Coach, John Buckley, was recently promoted within the US Marshalls and had to relocate to Arizona. The team did not have to look far for their next Head Coach, Casey Bondoc. Casey has been with the team since 2006. He has played many roles on the team including Defensive Back Coach, Defensive Coordinator and has been the VP for the team since 2015. Taking on the role of Vice President and Head Coach is a big undertaking but Casey is just the person for the job. In addition to a new Head Coach the team is led by a new President, Shane Lynn. Shane is a true Enforcer through and through. He has been with the team since its inception in 1999. Shane was a player for his first 14 years with the team. He did an additional 2 seasons as a coach and now taking over as the leader and President of the San Diego Enforcers. Continued on next page > 20
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SD Enforcer Matt Steinbauch
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Salute to Service The team clearly has the right people in place to motivate this team to victories on the field, but the Enforcers are about more than numbers on a score board. The team is built on three core principles of Family, Community and Football.
FEBRUARY 8th The “Salute to Service” game is a special game each year where the team takes time to recognize those that are currently serving and those that have served in the US military. Players and staff from both teams will be recognized during the game. During halftime, WWII veterans will be honored for their service and proceeds from this game will benefit Honor Flight San Diego and pay for WWII veterans to make the trip to Washington, D.C.
Giving back to the community is what this nonprofit organization loves to do. Since their inception, they have donated over $200,000 to United Cerebral Palsy, Susan G. Komen, San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation and many military organizations such as Semper Fi, Team Red, White and Blue and the Travis Manion Foundation. Honor Flight San Diego, the organization which takes WWII veterans to Washington, D.C., was named the military charity for the 2020 season. The Enforcers kick off their season with a home game on Saturday, February 8th, against the Camp Pendleton Bulldogs for our Salute to Service game. When asking Coach Bondoc why this game was so special, he said “This game is special to me because I come from a family who all served in the military. My father retired after 20 years of service in the Navy and both my brothers were in the air force. My eldest brothers did three tours in Iraq as a combat medic. Although I did not serve in the military, I know the sacrifice that it takes to serve our country”.
This season the Enforcers will play two home games and three away games. Tickets can be purchased at the gate and are just $10. To learn more about the San Diego Enforcers, to volunteer with the organization or at a game, to become a sponsor, or donate to the team, go to: www.sandiegoenforcers.com. You can also find the San Diego Enforcers and the Enforcer Girls on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The season features the following games: February 8th - (H) Marines March 7th (A) La Grizzles April 18th (A) Roanoke May 16th (Las Vegas) NYPD May 30th (H) LAPD Come out this season and support the best football teams in San Diego!
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Salute to Service Marines and Football: A Winning Combination By RanDee McLain On February 8th, 2020 the Camp Pendleton Bulldogs will take on the San Diego Enforcers in the annual ‘Salute to Service’ game. This game is a special game for both teams. It is the game truly dedicated to those who have served in our US military or are actively serving. The game will recognize all who have served, and proceeds go back to the military charity of choice- Honor Flight San Diego. The SD Enforcers will recognize some of our oldest living veterans, our WWII veterans, on the field at half-time. The ‘Salute to Service’ game has been held for the past 10 years between the SD Enforcers and one of the Marine teams. This year the Marine team is the Camp Pendleton Bulldogs. The Camp Pendleton Bulldogs are coached by Gunnery Sergeant Luis Moret. Coach Moret is a career Marine who has played and coached football at levels. He has coached children, young adults and now young Marines. This is his first year as head coach and he is looking forward to what the future will bring for the USMC, the team and the young Marines who may be moving on to civilian life. Coach Moret played for the USMC; most recently in San Diego County against the San Diego Enforcers. He hung up his tackle football days in 2012 and has spent the last few years volunteering as a coach. In 2018 he was an assistant coach, and after the season ended and the head coach retired – he was hand-picked him to be the new head coach of the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs used to be called the Camp Pendleton AllStars as the top talent on the base unit team came out to try out for the team. Today that team is the Bulldogs and Moret is excited to be at the helm and to take the team to the next level.
When asked about the matchup between the Bulldogs and Enforcers, he said, “What we lack in size, we make up for in speed.” He and his team are looking forward to playing in the Salute to Service game. He said that it is a blessing when men and women who serve our community and our country can come together and play the sport for one day. One of those players on Feb. 8th will be Corporal Columbus Wilson, III. CPL Wilson is a wide receiver and has been in the USMC for three years. He has been playing football since he was five years old and says that “football is in his blood”. His father (who was also a Marine) played the game and handed the family torch to Wilson. When asked about a special football memory, Wilson said that memory was from when he was living in Japan and playing football there. One of his favorite plays was the time he picked off a pass and ran the ball 87 yards for a touchdown! Coach Moret has known Wilson almost his entire life. The Coach and Wilson’s father were stationed together and now Moret gets to coach the man who grew up to be a fine Marine. When we told Wilson that Honor Flight San Diego would be bringing WWII veterans to the game on Feb. 8th, he said, “It will be heartwarming to play for them and I am looking forward to meeting them.” Wilson’s grandfather was a US Navy WWII veteran, so this game will be special on many levels. Come out and help cheer on the Camp Pendleton Bulldogs as they take on the San Diego Enforcers on February 8th
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Exciting Research Conducted at the VA San Diego Healthcare System Center for Pain and Headache Research (CPHR)
Chronic pain and/or headaches are some of the most common debilitating symptoms affecting over 90% of the Veterans. The VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) Anesthesia Pain Service provides multidisciplinary multimodal pain management for all Veterans in the region. The Center for Pain and Headache Research (CPHR) is dedicated to conducting innovative research involving pain and headaches. The research facility is located at Building 23, which is just outside the west entrance of the main hospital at the VASDHS. The Center can accommodate multiple ongoing research studies with access to both assessment and treatment rooms, several magnetic stimulator units with interchanging coils, brain imaging based neuronavigation software and computer network access through the surrounding institutions and universities. The research lab is associated with nearby military healthcare facilities including Naval Medical Center San Diego and Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton and collaborated with a variety of experts in the fields of pain management, neuroimaging, data analysis and neuropsychology.
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Currently the Center is leading several VA and DOD funded multicenter studies for headaches related to traumatic brain injury and chronic pain conditions related to Gulf War Illnesses. The Center is founded and directed by Dr. Albert Leung, who is a board-certified anesthesiologist specializing in pain management. Dr. Leung has served the VASDHS for over two decades. He is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine and a Research Scientist affiliated with the Veterans Medical Research Foundation. His research focuses on the mechanisms and effectiveness of non-invasive brain and peripheral stimulation for nerve function restoration and headache/pain relief. He founded the first Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) clinical unit for pain and headachetreatment in VASDHS a decade ago. He now directs the Center for TMS at the VASDHS, which has the capability to provide up to 3000 TMS treatment sessions per year for the Veterans.
TMS non-invasively stimulates the brain by utilizing electromagnetic principles to produce small focal electrical currents in the cortex. The device usually consists of an insulated electric coil, which with the passing of electrical current generates a dynamic magnetic field through the scalp and skull, and into the first few millimeters of the cortex without attenuation. A figure-of-eight coil is commonly used because it gives a precise localization. Studies in animals demonstrate that TMS can alter neural plasticity by affecting the amount of beta-adrenergic receptor in rat cortex consistent with the response to all clinically effective antidepressants and electroconvulsive shock. Other published studies concur that TMS influences neuron-transmitters, receptors and associated second messenger systems, which are important in pain and mood regulation. TMS also has the ability to increase gene activity in neural and supportive elements which are important for conditions such as pain and depression. Repetitive TMS (rTMS) is currently FDA approved for treating major depression and single pulse TMS is approved for treating migraine headaches.
For pain treatment, several international expert review panels have recently determined conclusively that the treatment has definitive pain relief benefit for several neuropathic pain conditions and mild traumatic brain injury related headaches while more studies should be conducted to fully assess its longterm efficacy in various pain or headache conditions. Veterans who are interested in learning more about participating in our studies, please contact the study coordinator at 858-210-8908. For clinical treatment, patients can have their primary care providers submit a TMS consult to the Anesthesia TMS Consult. If you would like to learn more about TMS, check out our YouTube video titled “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Overview� at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ttfgMYU96k
To learn more about our research, check out our Facebook Page: The Center for Pain and Headache Research or see our interview with 10 News: https://tinyurl.com/rh9n9an
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR 1990-1991 PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS
Do you suffer from chronic headache, muscle, and joint pain?
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
Do you have headaches due your traumatic brain injury?
The Center for Pain and Headache Research at the VA San Diego is recruiting for studies using a non-invasive treatment, transcranial magnetic stimulation, to relieve different types of pain. If interested in participating or learning more about either study, please contact the study coordinator at
(858) 210-8908
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A Different Lens Mental Health Monthly By RanDee McLain
A Year In Review!! As we look back over 2019, a few may say it was a rough year; others may say it was a great year. As we take a mental scan of the entire year, are there things that brought us joy? Are there things that challenged us? Life is rarely 100% positive or 100% challenging, but we can take small steps to bring more balance. How do we foster and encourage those positive things that bring us joy and also deal with the more challenging aspects? First, we must identify these things. I say “we”…. because this is an exercise I recently did myself and it has made a significant impact on my life and my overall wellbeing. You start this exercise by listing three things that bring you joy in your life. Do not overthink this. These should come easily to you and should bring a smile to your face as you write them. My list was easy……family/friends, outdoors/nature, and helping my fellow veterans. The next thing we need to do is list the top three things that brought us stress or challenged us this year. The first one was easy for me and then finding two more involved a little more thought. My top stressor this year was my commute to work. I was spending several hours on the road each day. This included the drive to work, a second office and then travel back and forth. To say it was exhausting and not the best use of resources was an understatement. The commute had to go. What else? What caused me to stress this year? Control…better yet lack of control. I felt very overwhelmed by trying to be in control of things that weren’t mine to control. Ouch, even saying that one out loud stings a little. Yes, I realized that I could only control so much and needed to revert to my Semper Gumby days and be a little more flexible. So now we have our lists. We know some things that make us happy and a few that bring us stress…. now what?
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How do we support and encourage more of the good things? How to we continue to grow in the areas that bring us joy? Equally as important is how do we deal with the more challenging aspects? How do we tip the scales and find more balance? I started on the happy note- things that brought me joy. The first thing I had listed was my family. My family sometimes drive me a little silly but overall are a true place of happiness for me. I booked a trip to visit my extended family including cousins and grandparents. This was the first time I spent Thanksgiving with this much family since I was a child. It really was an amazing trip filled with love and memories. It truly brought me joy. You do not have to spend a lot of money to support your happiness. I made a commitment to myself that weekly I would do one small thing to support my areas of happiness. This week I took a hike with a dear friend and supported two of my areas of happiness…..friends/ family and outdoors. I also had to examine those areas of challenge and see how I could better handle them. The first thing I did was have a very candid conversation with my employer to discuss my challenges with the commute and competing demands for my time. I now commute 10 minutes versus 45-60 minutes one way. You will be surprised who will step up to help when they actual know your struggles. You do not have to make drastic changes or spend a lot of money to bring more balance in your life. Start small and stay committed. Listing 3 positives and 3 challenges really puts everything in perspective but you must follow through and make a commitment to change. Make a goal of weekly supporting the things that bring you joy and finding helpful ways to reduce stress. Remember YOU need to take care of YOU! You can not give from an empty jug…..fill yourself up first! Have a positive, healthy and happy 2020!!
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2020
RESOLUTION SOLUTIONS
The holidays are over, but the New Year’s resolutions have just begun, and San Diego Veterans Magazine is here to help you keep yours. If you’ve chosen to change your life this year, you’re not alone. Nearly half the United States – a stunning 150 million people – did the same. Many of these aren’t plastic or paper decisions either but life-affirming, soul-quenching, I’m-the-captain-ofmy-destiny-and-I’m-finally-going-do-this variety.
If this sounds familiar, good for you! Recognition that change is necessary is the first step. Desire makes all things possible. Work well begun is half done.
High on most lists, losing weight or getting fit with many deciding the time to act is now.
You’re off and running, maybe literally.
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Now the bad news. Statistically speaking, most of you are doomed. Nearly 90 percent who make New Year’s resolutions fail. That’s a crazy high bust rate. Who would ever bet those odds? You would and you do. Let me explain. At the start of every year -- without fail -- people flock to gyms. They’re recognizable by their new sneakers, stylish water bottles and eager looks. You can practically see their new gym bodies in the bubble dreams above their heads. Memberships are bought. Trainers hired. Classes enrolled. And so begins the brief lifecycle of the Resolution Set, a specimen of gym member whose chief function is giving money away for no apparent reason. All gym vets know their ways well. They start January like shooting stars, their resolution glow bright and vibe positive and contagious. February finds them making strides. Cracks start showing in March as they realize that working out can be, well, work, and that maybe the miraculous transformations they envisioned might’ve been a skosh unrealistic.
1. Set realistic goals. Losing a pound or two a month – and keeping it off -- is a reasonable. Anything more is, hmm, gravy. 2. Start slow. Take it easy as you learn what your body can do. Hurting yourself or being too sore to workout defeats the purpose. 3. Then, ramp it up. You’re at the gym to work, so work. Push weights around, stretch, walk, peddle or paddle. Sweat a little so you can live a lot. 4. Just go. Just as possession is nine-tenths of the law, so too is getting to the gym is nine-tenths of the battle. Get there and you’ll figure out the rest. 5. No excuses. If you have five free minutes a day, you have time to workout. How? Do all the pushups and sit ups you can in one-minute increments. Follow that up with running as far you can for another minute – it will take you two minutes to walk back. Done. 6. Find what works for you. Yoga, pilates, kettle ball, boxing, surfing, mixed martial arts, weights, running, kendo, fencing, crossfit, judo, swimming, biking, walking, whatever. There are a lot of choices. Find one or three that work for you. 7. Remember the big picture. Attaining your fitness goals takes effort and means pushing through adversity.
Then the wheels fly completely off.
8. Find your motivation. Whether you’re doing this for yourself, your family or some other reason, keep that reason in mind when you feel like quitting.
This typically happens by May, exactly when the neophytes should be prepping for the big beach season reveal.
9. Have fun. It’s hard to succeed at anything unless you enjoy it and make it part of your life.
They were so close to getting somewhere and then puff. Gone. Another statistic.
10. Forgive yourself. No one is 100 percent all the time. The best baseball hitters fail 70 percent of the time. The greatest quarterbacks throw interceptions. The most powerful tycoons make bad deals. When you backslide, pick yourself up and keep going.
But you can break this cycle of boom and bust, and here are some tips to do just that.
“Nearly 90 percent who make New Year’s resolutions fail.” WWW.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com / JANUARY 2020
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Arts & Healing Arts for Military Veterans
By Amber Robinson
New Year’s Resolutions
Creative Intentions
Goals Resolutions Intentions 30
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Now we have entered 2020, people around the globe are settling on their New Year’s resolutions and goals. Unfortunately, studies have shown that less than 25% of people actually stay committed to their resolutions after just 30 days, and only 8% accomplish them. This year, instead, I posit we set a list of thoughtful intentions, using creativity and art to reflect on our innermost values and desires. I know you may be wondering what the difference is between a goal or resolution and an intention. Goals are a destination or specific achievement. A goal resides in the future. Intentions, on the other hand, are lived each day within the present moment, independent of achieving the goal or destination. Goals are external accomplishments. Intentions are about your relationship with yourself, the world around you and others. Being intentional allows you to focus on how you want to be in the moment. Artistic intention in drama refers to the decisions, made by theatre makers, to communicate deeper meaning through their work. Without an artistic intention a piece of drama lacks a purpose or a message for its intended audience. Much like artistic intention, the motive for setting personal life intentions is to bring greater purpose and meaning into your life. So, how do you decide on what your yearly intentions will be? To find out, take a moment and really reflect on your values, relationships, goals and truest desires. These should not be what you think they SHOULD be according to friends, social media, magazines, TV and the public at large. True intentions will encourage selfgrowth, balance and joy whether you meet a certain goal or not. If “going within” to connect with your truest desires is difficult, art can help. According to New York City Art Therapist, Sara Roizen, “Art taps into our innate role as creators and provides a direct visual outlet for our inner worlds, hopes, dreams, and desires. Art accesses our inner wisdom and can coax material from the unconscious.” If you are having a hard time settling down and listening to your inner self, simply sit down with a sketch book or piece of newsprint and begin to doodle. Or, make a collage, a vision board or begin a free-write in an “intention journal”. Do anything that will get the creative juices flowing. Creating art brings you to the present moment, which is also where your intentions will be exercised.
This year, my intentions are to develop myself academically, professionally and artistically. Your intentions can be just as broad, or more precise. Your intent for the year may be to work on your marriage, find a new job or foster a better relationship with your kids or friends Once you have identified your intentions, it is up to you to focus on them daily and open your heart to accept the change. There are many ways to initiate new intentions into your life. Many create meaningful rituals that mark the beginning of a new intentional mindset. You can also create a mantra to use daily, which states your intentions. You can keep a journal, writing out the intentions routinely or share them with a friend. Any way you can bring focus and meaningful energy to your intentions will bolster the probability of them manifesting. It is also important to maintain a daily mindset of gratitude as if your intentions are already reality. Your mind, body and spirit will naturally begin to respond to and gravitate toward opportunities that support your intent.
This year, believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to get creative with self growth. So, get out there and fearlessly sketch out a new path, paint yourself a more colorful year or write out your heart’s deepest desires in a poem. However you wish to listen, heal or grow, art is here to help.
The colors of gratitude
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WHAT’S NEXT Transition to Civilian Life By Eve Nasby
The New Year is here. 2020, many are saying, will be a year of new vision and perspective. Let’s, then, take a look at your transition through a different lens.
2020
Transition is tough. Doing it well is tough. You’ve worked hard to succeed in the military and now the rules have changed. The view is different. Your expectations will be challenged. You may be blindsided. In some areas you will maintain your expectations. In some you will need to lower your expectations and see things through different lenses. Kevin Panet shoots from the hip and is an accomplished HR professional. As a veteran who has made mistakes of his own in his transition, he offers these 5 insights for those who want to transition well.
Levels Set Veterans assume civilian employees care as much about the organization as they did on active duty. The vast majority of people working in the private sector just want to do their jobs and get on with their lives. The “commitment to excellence” is rare. It’s kind of a letdown when vets figure this out. Lessons learned: Be prepared to adjust your expectations, while continuing to execute at your level of excellence. You may be surprised how quickly you are promoted. Veterans get frustrated that they are not trusted nearly as much in the private sector. Many veterans are responsible for millions of dollars of equipment and personnel. When they get out, it’s often like they are starting again from square one. The trust levels just aren’t there and everything is a “Mother may I?” Lessons learned: It will take time to learn new skills and earn trust with co workers in your civilian career as it was in your military career.
Language School Kevin continues to explain, “When veterans are looking for work, they need to learn the language of the career path they hope to take. I did human resources in the Air Force. We were governed primarily by Air Force regulations and the Uniformed Military Code of Justice. Now, I need to know all federal laws, as well as applicable state laws. It was quite a learning curve, but fortunately I started a couple years before I transitioned and I feel that helped me. 32
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Starting a Business as a Veteran? It also helped that I did numerous informational interviews, giving me a much better sense of where I was going.”
Create your Grid Networking. I find a lot of veterans don’t know how to network, how to leverage LinkedIn, or disregard their network of acquaintances in the military. As a result, veterans can become isolated and frustrated. I think it’s important for veterans to stay connected with fellow vets to get support and encouragement as they make their transition. That’s why I am a strong supporter of organizations like Team Red, White and Blue (www.TeamRWB.org).
Hang It Up Hanging up the uniform. Yes, veterans should be proud of their service, but they should also learn to be humble. When transitioning to a new civilian job the structure and assumptions vets had in the military goes out the window. Veterans can’t expect others to automatically follow their orders without question. Civilian life just doesn’t work that way. Veterans need to be respectful of their new environment, learn how the new organization gets things done, then look for ways they can make contributions tha matter.
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.
Stay focused in 2020. Keep your vision. Stay true to your goals and if you need help transitioning? Need help with interviewing? Resume writing? Networking? Connect with me on LinkedIn. I’d love to meet you and help you get to where you want to be. Eve Nasby is a hiring expert with almost three decades invested in these topics. www.linkedin.com/in/eve-nasby-given-0050452
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 Homeland Magazine or visit www.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine and click on the banner:
ENLISTED TO ENTREPRENEUR
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ENLISTED TO ENTREPRENEUR By Vicki Garcia
• Will you turn the plan into action? • Do you have the guts to take your business in new directions?
2020
I would like to lay out a road map that will get you to view your business through a lens that eliminates the distortions of everyday business. Let me warn you, you may not like what you see. But if you are going to meet the year head on it is a necessary process. Let’s look at what a strategic plan could do for you. 1. Develop A Statement of Purpose. Why does your business exist? Sometimes why we started the business is not the same as why we continue to work it. Dr. Maxwell Malts, from Psycho-Cybernetics says “Begin to imagine what the desired outcome would be like. Go over these mental pictures and delineate details and refinements. Play them over and over to yourself.”
Eight Steps to Meet 2020 Head On I write Enlisted to Entrepreneur every month tapping into my own experience in the small business world. My know-how is primarily in marketing. So, occasionally you should hear a different voice. Barbara Eldridge is a voice who is a Small Business Expert specializing in planning. Barbara Eldridge and I have worked together for over 20 years to provide entrepreneurs with a wellrounded kit of info you can trust and lean on. So, here’s Barbara’s approach to planning. Her clients swear by her
insights. – Vicki Garcia
Are you keeping up with the pace of change? The pace of technology? The pace of your marketplace? The pace of your competition? The Yearly Dilemma is how much do you and your business have to change to keep pace? As a business owner, you need to have information at your fingertips that help you make the best decisions. Planning each year is a hands-on process. You might start by asking some tough questions. • Do you recognize the need for change • Are you prepared to look reality in the face? • Are you willing to change the way you do business – and change yourself?
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Remember the Why isn’t to make money, that is a result. When your WHY is in balance, what you do is simply a tangible way you find to breathe life into that cause. Begin to create the framework to grow your business on. 2. Conduct A SWOT Analysis. This will help you evaluate your businesses’ internal strengths, the internal, positive attributes of your business and weaknesses, internal, negative attributes of your business along with the opportunities and threats you face in the marketplace. It will give you a basis for developing a plan; it helps assess the company’s strengths, weaknesses, and critical assets. It looks at outside factors that are analyzed including government regulations and new technologies that may affect growth in 3 to 5 years. 3. Crystallize Your Thinking. Determine what specific long-range goals you want for your business. It is never enough to just want more money. They should cover all aspects of the business. Pull together and identify the most important goals to focus on for this year – those goals that are high leverage, that will deeply impact your life and create real momentum moving forward. This is a critical key to creating goals that matter, goals that will transform you and create the most impact for your market efforts.
4. Create Benchmarks. Include specific results for meeting those goals. It is easier to adjust along the way without losing sight of the long-range goals. What are the milestones, landmarks, and rough timeline you will follow when you execute on your strategy? 5. Brainstorm Strategies. How are you going to reach each of the results? There is more than one way to achieve a result, ask others for ideas. You are often faced with making decisions and would like to have the insight of other professionals but fear the expense of hiring outside consultants. This is where a Board of Advisors or your “master mind” group can be invaluable. Large companies have used this form of accumulated knowledge and experience for years to address employee, technical, sales, financial and marketing issues. 6. Develop A Plan of Action. Take your One-Year Plan, and break it down into quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily actions that keep you on track. Plan the progressive steps, along with who will do what when. Nothing ever happens without action, but there is a world of difference between mere action and constructive action. A worthwhile plan is more than a to-do list, it is a design. A blueprint. Action steps implement the chosen strategy and tactics to realize the chosen goals and results. Engineer your big goals into your everyday actions and strategies that will lead you inevitably toward achieving your best year ever. Action step planning is tedious, but a critical part of the planning process. It is a matter of spelling out step by step each of the accountability steps that must be completed. It requires careful thinking about the timing involved and the manpower requirements. Small action steps increase the mastery of the game, which adds to the passion, and creativity needed to sustain the motivation for winning.
7. Be Confident in Yourself and Your Abilities. Be committed to follow through on your plan, because without determination the plan will deteriorate. Your conditions don’t determine your destiny, your character does. Your character is made up of your core habits. When you create habits that align with your highest vision, you ultimately put your success on autopilot. Habits of success are the foundation of confident progress. Confucius said that all men are alike, but it is their habits that separate them. You want to fulfill your destiny – and create the best year ever – you need to create habits that match that.
8. Track Your Progress. Write out your numbers (yes, I said write), know your sales number, gross profit, cost of goods/time. It is a sure way of staying focused. Determine EXACTLY what it is you want to track. Then set up your Scoreboard. When you don’t keep score, you can’t possibly win! The best controls/measurements help you see how effective and efficient a process or the ingredients of a process are, in creating a specific result. The most powerful ones give you a clear numeric way of making effectiveness visible. Barbara Eldridge has built a solid reputation as a Success strategies specialist, coach and speaker within industry and business over the past 35 years. Her unique message since starting Mind Masters 25+ years ago for entrepreneurs and small business owners, continually stresses vision, purpose and values as the key elements of business philosophy. Her undying compassion for the entrepreneur’s journey, her tireless capacity to listen, and her sincere enthusiasm for other’s success have insured her growing influence and her mastery with MIND MASTERS. www.mindmasters.com
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Certification & Supplier Diversity Concept Review for Startups Perfecting Your Pitch Speaker Training Brainstorming with Experts Publishing Knowhow Personal Branding Mind Mapping Crowdfunding Writing a Business Plan Branding, Graphics & Visuals Internet Marketing Social Media & SEO Legal Issues Budgeting Where & How to Get Money High Velocity Growth Strategies Employees & Contractors
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THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS VETERANS BRING TO ORGANIZATIONS Joseph Molina Veterans Chamber of Commerce www.vccsd.org
Over the years, veterans have learned nontechnical skills like; leadership, decision-making, being dependable and attention to details, which they can offer to civilian employers. It is indeed difficult to find any military role that doesn’t translate in the civilian workplace. This article focuses on some of the skills these veterans can bring to the table and how they can be effectively put to good use in a civilian workplace.
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1. Discipline: Veterans, in general, are used to a mission-critical mindset. Something veterans have learned over years of being trained with the responsibility to solve problems and follow through until the job is done. Aside from being known to be focused on specific tasks, veterans also have a great attention to detail. Most civilian employers appreciate the level of discipline veterans bring to the civilian workplace.
2. Loyalty:
6. Working under pressure:
One of the key traits required for a successful service in the military is loyalty. People who have served in the military have loyalty ingrained in them, which is sure to be an asset to any company. Veterans understand the critical importance loyalty has in everyday life. Loyalty is that bond that keeps veterans united.
Veterans are used to stressful conditions and have learned to work through these difficult situations. Are able to effectively function under pressure and have the ability to quickly adapt when necessary to meet the demands required by a situation. Working under pressure is also an excellent skill employers’ value. Having the ability to remain calm under stressful situations allows for veterans to be excellent leaders as others depend on them to solve difficult tasks on helping improve employee productivity and increase morale in the workplace.
3. Accountability: Employers often state that it has become more difficult to find employees willing and ready to embrace accountability in the workplace. Veterans understand accountability extremely well. Veterans have a mindset that embraces and fulfills each task with complete sense of accountability. 4. Organizational skills: Veterans have the training and have a full and complete understanding of what organizational skills are and the way to implement them. These skills are key to completing the mission and achieving every task. Employers look for employees who understand and are able to use this important skill. Veterans know how policies and procedures enable a business to succeed. Veterans are no strangers to systemic planning, which is of utmost importance to any form of business. 5. Teamwork: Working in groups is no new thing for veterans. They know how to employ the strength of individuals and rely on their teammates. Veterans work well in teams and learn to rely on each other, support each other. Veterans bring a team mentality to the workplace, with great understanding on how to establish bonds of collaboration and support to the team and to each member within the team. Veterans who enter the workforce are already many steps ahead by having a team mentality that today’s businesses look for.
7. Leadership based on trust: Military Leaders know that money is not the main motivating factor for people. Veterans understand that maintaining a team who has strong loyalty to the group, clear focus and is able to understand and clearly communicate the stated objective is key to the successful working environment. Veterans who lead make sure each team member feels valued, respected and able to trust the team, these are key elements to forming strong bonds between each team member. A civilian organization will greatly benefit by employing a veteran as a business manager because most employees are often far better motivated by a leader who they fully trust than by someone who just offer rewards and/or punishments. IN SUMMARY: Veterans bring a can-do attitude and a mind-set of leadership, loyalty, collaboration and a sense of comradery to the workplace. Employers who value these principles will most definitely benefit from having a veteran in their organization.
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legal Eagle Straight-forward legal tips for Military and Veteran Business Owners By Kelly Bagla, Esq.
FROM VETERAN TO BUSINESS OWNER Did you know out of the 27.9 million businesses in the Untied States, 2.45 million of them are owned by Veterans? 70% of American consumers are more likely to buy from a veteran owned business than from a business not owned by a veteran. Starting or running a business takes courage, discipline and dedication. It also takes knowing the legal aspects that could safe guard your hard work. Before starting, running or buying a business consider the following: HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN. A complete, thoughtful business plan is one of the most valuable tools in helping you reach your long-term goals. It gives your business direction, defines your objectives, maps out strategies to achieve your goals and helps you to manage possible bumps in the road. OBTAIN FINANCING. Whether you are starting a new business or buying an existing one, small businesses need money. If you or your spouse served in the military and would like to fund your small business, you can take advantage of a few different favorable loan options geared towards veterans. INCORPORATE YOUR BUSINESS. Many small business owners launch their companies as sole proprietorships in which they and their businesses are essentially one and the same. However, changing the format of a small business to a corporation or a limited liability company can offer a range of advantages for entrepreneurs. The advantages of incorporating a small business include:
partnerships just end if an owner dies or leave the business. • Deductible expenses. Both corporations and limited liability companies may deduct normal business expenses, including salaries. • Compete for more contracts. Some businesses require vendors and contracting companies to be incorporated before they can compete for contracts. • Entice and hold employees with stock options. A corporation has an advantage in attracting talented employees by offering employees partial ownership in the business through stock options.
Becoming a business owner, you control your own destiny, choose the people you work with, reap big rewards, challenge yourself, give back to the community, and you get to follow your passion.
• Personal asset protection. Both corporations and limited liability companies allow owners to separate and protect their personal assets. • Additional credibility and name protection. Adding “Inc.” or “LLC” after your business name can add instant legitimacy and authority. Consumers, vendors and partners frequently prefer to do business with an incorporated company.
Knowing what you’re getting into is smart business because the responsibility of protecting your family and yourself falls on you.
• Perpetual existence. Corporations and limited liability companies can continue to exist even if ownership or management changes. Sole proprietorships and
For more information on how to legally protect your business please pick up a copy of my book: ‘Go Legal Yourself’ on Amazon or visit my website at www.baglalaw.com
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MILITARY MONEY MINUTE A Monthly Financial
By Lara Ryan, Daniel Chavarria & Michael Biemiller Lara.ryan@nm.com / Daniel.Chavarria@nm.com / Michael.biemiller@nm.com
2020 MONEY
Your Financial Planning Calendar - January • Use the fresh, new, blank slate opportunity to find a financial advisor. Everyone should have a financial plan and understand their status, their goals, and how to bridge any gap from one to the other. An advisor should consider offensive strategies fro how to build and grow your wealth, and defensive strategies for how to protect and “put a fence around” that wealth and manage risk. • Map out a budget – that means understanding and having a plan for income, spending, savings and investing. Budgeting may seem like a chore, especially as the winter doldrums set in. Rather than think of it as a financial equivalent to dieting, realize that a budget is your way of controlling where your money goes, rather than having your money tell you where it went! View it as a way to ensure that you have enough money for what you truly value and enjoy—say, a secure retirement and a vacation or two every year. With income in mind – consider whether there will be any changes, either up or down? Will those changes affect your eligibility to contribute to a ROTH IRA? Will those changes mean you want to bump up TSP contributions? Have you included contributions to your emergency fund? With spending in mind – remember to include regular, recurring monthly expenses. Also include extra items like subscriptions: Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple music and storage, Sirius, Spotify. Do you get supplements by mail? Have a monthly Stich Fix box or Bark Box for your dog? And for all of those irregular expenses – vacations and gifts (Christmas, birthday, anniversary) and things like oil changes and vehicle registrations, consider what you spend on them per occurrence, multiply that by how many times a year that expense occurs and then divide by 12 (for 12 months a year) to get a monthly place holder amount. Include that monthly amount in the budget!
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Be honest about groceries and dining out! A budget should be realistic, as a budget that has no bearing on what you’re actually spending doesn’t do you any good. This is the first layer in your financial foundation, and – without it – it becomes hard to know what you have to invest or dedicate to financial goals and opportunities beyond monthly expenses. Use your past statements to help gauge your accuracy. Take the time to get it right. Plenty of tools are available to keep you on target. Mint is a go-to app for creating a customized budget, including charts to visualize your cash flow. With Goodbudget, you set limits by designating virtual envelopes of cash for each budget category. • Understand the 2020 military pay dates, calendar them and plan accordingly. • Consider any major 2020 expenses – those things that fall outside of regular budgeting. Do you plan to buy or finance a new car? Major travel? Special gifts or milestones? Are you buying a home? Sending a child to college? Talk to your advisor about incorporating these items into your plan, considering how you need to budget for them in the near- and long-term and what financial vehicles and military resources might be applicable and relevant. • Set up retirement account contributions. Once you’ve decided how much you can afford to direct to retirement savings, tweak your monthly contributions to your TSP, 401(k) or IRA. You can contribute up to $19,500 to a TSP/401(k) in 2020 (plus $6,500 in catch up contributions if you’re age 50 or older). The IRA contribution limit is $6,000 (plus $1,000 in catch-up contributions for those 50 and older). Make this decision based on your budget and then add it in as a “retirement savings” line item. • Make this a year that you pay down debt. Understand SCRA and public service loan forgiveness to know if either will affect any credit card or student loan debt that you or a spouse may have. If high-interest debt is weighing on your balance sheet, make a plan to wipe it out. Include payments to reduce debt in your budget!
If you have credit card debt, which carries an average rate of about 17%, reducing that quickly should be a priority. Transferring the balance to a card with an introductory 0% rate or a low ongoing rate may be a good move. Check out www.nerdwallet.com or www.bankrate.com for balance transfer or 0% cards. Perhaps even consider paying it off with a personal loan or home-equity line of credit, which likely comes with a lower rate than your credit card (talk this through with your financial advisor). If you have high-rate private student loans, you may benefit from refinancing them. Variable rates from online lenders recently ran as low as about 2% for borrowers with great credit and a healthy debt-toincome ratio. Call Larry Morrison at www.collegeloanfreedom.com and set up a free consultation! You may be able to lower your federal loan rate by refinancing, too, but you’d lose key protections. • Ask yourself… - If you’re separating or retiring from military service this year, remember to map out your transition including key taskers like your VA BDD window, deadlines to address VGLI, SPB, and TSP – do you have any outstanding loans and what you’re your plans for TSP post-service? Do you have a transition fund – consider the costs of new business clothes, required travel for interview, and spanning the gap between end of military service and start of civilian career? (If you’re not sure what any of that means, give us a call!) - If you’re deploying in this calendar year, have you considered Savings Deposit Plan (SDP)? Have you reviewed and planned for extra/tax free income? - If you’re PCSing this year, have you considered costs that will/won’t be covered by the military? Do you have an emergency/reserve fund that can be used between required payment dates and reimbursement? • Plan to see the JAG at some point in first quarter (and certainly before deployment and after marriage, birth of a child or purchase of a home to update will/medical directive/power of attorney? • Keep an eye out for interest statements due to be sent by end of the month from employers, banks, mortgage lenders, etc. and compile them to use in 2019 tax preparation. • Act by key dates – 1 JAN – 14 FEB is the time frame for switching from Medicare Advantage to original Medicare.
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“If your personal information is stolen, the thief can go to the car dealership and open up an auto loan in your name,” he said. “If you aren’t monitoring your credit information you won’t know about that loan. You won’t be paying on that loan – because you don’t know about it – and your credit will be negatively affected. “If you are actively monitoring your credit and identity information, you will be alerted to the new auto loan and be able to report it as fraud.”
Recent cyberattacks targeting military members may lead to theft of personal information Cyberattacks are on the rise. These attacks not only compromise our national security but our personal and financial security as well. Cyberspies from Russia to China to Iran have recently targeted individual active duty and veteran military members, using false personas on social media networks as well as other tactics to obtain sensitive information. Military branches and the Pentagon also have experienced data breaches in the last few years. These events have put military members and veterans especially at risk, said Scott Hermann, IDIQ℠ co-owner and CEO and one of the nation’s leading experts in credit monitoring, identity theft protection, and data breaches. Hermann said military members and recently retired veterans are doubly vulnerable because of the low number of transactions on their accounts, making them attractive to identity thieves. “Thieves tend to target people who don’t make a lot of transactions,” he said. “If you are in the military or just came out of the military, often you haven’t been making a lot of credit or financial transactions. Identity thieves see this as an easy target who typically won’t be monitoring his or her accounts.” Hermann said actively monitoring credit and identity information is important so you can receive alerts for suspicious activity and act quickly before identity thieves can strike.
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Along with attempting to take out loans with stolen personal and financial information, identity thieves can attempt to open new credit cards, clone ATM or debit cards, change a billing address, obtain a new driver’s license or other
forms of ID, and use that false identity when questioned by police.
“It’s important for everyone to have credit monitoring, but especially for someone in the military or a military veteran,” he said. “When an identity theft occurs, it may have a significant negative impact on credit. “Credit monitoring is the most important thing you can do. If you aren’t monitoring, you aren’t paying attention to your personal information.” Hermann said education also is an important part of identity theft protection. He said, along with regularly updating passwords, be aware that methods a thief uses don’t always include hacking. Phishing scams and other tactics are used to gather personal information over the phone, text, and emails. For more information and education on credit monitoring and protection against identity theft, visit identityiq.com. Based in Southern California, IDIQ is recognized as one of the fastest-growing industry leaders in credit and identity theft monitoring and data breach management. IDIQ operates the flagship IdentityIQ℠ brand for active delivery of credit and identity monitoring and protection. IDIQ and its IdentityIQ brand are a proud supporter of active duty and veteran military members and their families. ©2019 IDIQ provider of IdentityIQ
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Please join Honor Flight San Diego and Normandy Jump 2019 Please join Honor Flight San Diego and Normandy Jump 2019
for a special screening of the documentary, Libertas. It will be shown at the R Roger Rowe Rancho Santa Fe Performing Arts Center on Saturday, January 25th at 11:45 am. The documentary features Coronado resident WWII paratrooper Tom Rice as he parachutes into Normandy in June 2019 for the largest living historical event of our lifetime. All proceeds from this event will support getting veterans on the May 2020 Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. and help to get Tom back to Normandy in 2020 to jump with his 101st Airborne brother.
Tickets can be purchased at:
https://nj2019.eventbrite.com 46
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HONOR OUR VETERANS! Invest in the future of Miramar National Cemetery Hundreds of veterans, active duty military, families, businesses, and the public have invested in the future of Miramar National Cemetery. Thanks to their generous contributions The Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation sponsors: • The Avenue of Flags • Veterans Tribute Tower & Carillon • Annual Veterans Memorial Services • Annual Veterans Day Observances • Coordinates Veterans Memorial Monuments
Honor our past, present, and future military veterans! Send your donation, today, to the Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation All contributions are fully tax deductible.
Help the Foundation Support Miramar National Cemetery. Please go to www.miramarcemetery.org and click on “Contribute” for information about how you can donate to the Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation.
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Afterschool Solutions for Kids in Military Families Research shows that the “critical hours” for youth are directly after school from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. That’s the time kids are more likely to get into trouble, develop bad habits or engage in negative behaviors. During those times, they’re often unsupervised and/or not participating in extracurricular activities. According to The Afterschool Alliance, a non-profit organization working to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs, nearly 1 in 5 kids in California were alone and unsupervised between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. And 49% said they would participate in an afterschool program if one were available. Military families feel the need too. According to Blue Star Families’ annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey of over 10,000 active duty, veterans and immediate family members, 78% of military spouse caregivers say they need some form of childcare. Enter The Armed Services YMCA of San Diego, a non-profit that provides innovative and quality social, educational, and recreational programs to meet the needs of military service members and their families. They now offer daily afterschool care for elementary school aged children. Their new Afterschool Achievement Academy is a comprehensive afterschool program focused on resiliency and skill building that engages military dependents in grades K-6. Students participate in a series of activities designed and developed to support in-classroom learning by meeting the common core standards that local school districts focus on. The children benefit from programming, supervision and positive interaction. They work on homework, receive academic support, and participate in STEM activities, as well as arts and crafts, and sports. “We’re also focusing on developing on coping strategies for kids in military families, who face obstacles including having a parent deploy, constant relocations, adjusting to new environments and many more,” says Tim Ney, Executive Director for The Armed Services YMCA of San Diego, noting military children move an average of six to nine times over course of their school career. 50
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“This curriculum is focused to tailor very specific needs and is a national effort being facilitated all over the country.” Critical Need The Afterschool Achievement will give working parents an opportunity to focus on their job, without worrying about of afterschool childcare. It will also provide an opportunity for a non-working spouse in a military family to seek employment as well. That’s critical because Blue Star Families’ survey shows military spouse unemployment/ underemployment is a top challenge: 30% of spouses were unemployed but actively seeking work and 56% of working spouse respondents reported they were underemployed. They say frequent relocation was the reason for underemployment. The survey also found 43% of respondents did not feel a sense of belonging to their local community. They say the availability of military spouse jobs could improve a sense of belonging to their local civilian community. Serving Military Families For this afterschool program, The ASYMCA San Diego will provide transportation from Miller, Hancock and Angier Elementary schools immediately after dismissal to their facility on Santo Road in Murphy Canyon. That area has the largest concentration of military families in San Diego County. There are six elementary schools within a six-mile radius. On average, those schools have student populations made up of at least 74% military kids. “Our goal is to eventually serve all six elementary schools in this area as well as the two middle schools,” says Ney, who adds that this program creates coverage for kids both when they are in school and during all school breaks. (Camp Hero camps are available during school vacations.) “Kids can stay engaged all year long with ASYMCA programs!” For more information about the Afterschool Achievement Academy, go to: www.ASYsd.org
ARMED SERVICES YMCA SAN DIEGO
STRENGTHENING OUR
MILITARY FAMILY FAMILY STRENGTHENING FAMILY STRENGTHENING
MOM & CHILDREN PROGRAMS -ACADEMY NOW OFFERED AFTERSCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT AT MCAS MIRAMAR HOMECOMINGS HOMECOMINGS KIDS CLUBKIDS CLUB NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD DISTRIBUTION NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD DISTRIBUTION MILITARY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (MVP)
MILITARY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (MVP)
SPECIAL EVENTS SPECIAL EVENTS
MAGICAL HOLIDAY PARTY - DEC PARTY - DEC MAGICAL HOLIDAY HOLIDAY TOY PROGRAM DEC HOLIDAY TOY-PROGRAM - DEC ASY GOLF CLASSIC - MARCH
ASY GOLF CLASSIC - MARCH
858-751-5755 INFOSD@ASYMCA.ORG 858-751-5755
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YOUTH ENRICHMENT
YOUTH ENRICHMENT AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
FALL, WINTER & SUMMER CAMPS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS FALL, WINTER & SUMMER CAMPS
SUPPORTING WELLNESS
IN HOME COUNSELING SUPPORTING WELLNESS URGENT NEEDS SUPPORT
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WOUNDED, INJURED & ILLINJURED SUPPORT WOUNDED, & WARRIOR CARE INITIATIVE ILL SUPPORT RECREATION THERAPY
WARRIOR CARE INITIATIVE RECREATION THERAPY
JOIN US! WWW.ASYSD.ORG
Facebook.com/ASYSanDiego // Twitter.com/ASYSanDiego
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
ENTERTAINMENT
SAN DIEGO SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com Resources Support Transition Community
San Diego Veterans Magazine A Veterans Magazine by Veterans for Veterans
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SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE
Vol. 2 Number 1 • January 2020
A Warrior Finds New Purpose in Yoga
San Diego Veteran of the Month
Join Us In 2020
WHAT’S NEXT Transitioning to Civilian Life
Art & Healing
Enlisted To Entrepreneur
LEGAL EAGLE 2020 SOLUTIONS
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San Diego’s best resource for San Diego veterans, transitioning military personnel, active military, military families & veteran organizations
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JANUARY INSIDE THIS ISSUE
6 San Diego Veteran of the Month 8 DAV - A Night Out 9 Irene Ferguson Wife Recognition Award 16 A Warrior Finds New Purpose in Yoga 20 SD FOOTBALL - Salute to Service Game 24 VA San Diego Healthcare - Research 26 A Different Lens - Year In Review 28 RESOLUTION SOLUTIONS 30 Arts & Healing - Artistic Resolutions 32 What’s Next - Transition 2020 34 Enlisted to Entrepreneur - Meet 2020 38 Veterans Bring Leadership 40 Legal Eagle - Veteran Business 42 Military Money - Financial Calendar 44 Cybersecurity - Personal Theft 50 Armed Services YMCA 53 JOIN US - San Diego Veterans
GET CONNECTED! A Veterans Magazine for Veterans by Veterans
(858) 521-8349 mikemiller@SDVetsMagazine.com 2020
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* Cover - Photo by Robert Sturman www.robertsturmanstudio.com
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www.homelandmagazine.com
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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
bit.ly/PTSDTreatmentWorksHomeland
PTSD Coach is not meant to replace professional care.
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