Follow this blog to Wordpress in October 2012....

Hi everyone,

I am dissatisfied with the Blogger platform, so this entire blog is going to migrate to Wordpress between now and early October 2012.

Follow me over there and you should hear more from me soon. I will post the direct link once it is up and running for you.

A Brief Pause, but Most of the Older Posts are Still Valid

Hi All,

I apologize that I have not posted any fresh information in a few weeks; things have been a bit overwhelming in my personal life, but I expect I will have more time to post new material soon.

I am also still strongly contemplating moving this blog to Wordpress because the templates here on Blogger are just so awkward to use; I will try to decide soon.

So, ignore the ugly look of the blog for now; much of the material I posted prior is still valid, and I plan to post more stuff in a few weeks once my personal affairs are back in order.

In the mean time, Happy Labor Day Weekend to all! Stay safe out there.

Resource for "Invisible Injuries" from the Wounded Warrior Project

The esteemed Wounded Warriors Project has a special website dedicated to veterans who are coping with so-called "invisible" disabling conditions such as Traumatic Brain Injury, combat stress, and PTSD:

Restore Warriors
www.restorewarriors.org

The site is focused on recovery, camaraderie, and inspiration to help you recover from and/or adapt to your "invisible" injury.

References to different helpful resources are provided, including professional resources accessible online in the privacy of your own home.

Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba (SUDS)

Are you a disabled veteran of Iraq or Afghanistan who is interested in scuba diving certification or fun group dive excursions (like swimming with the fish in the Baltimore Aquarium) despite recovering from severe injuries?

If yes, you might be interested in and eligible for a free program offered through Walter Reed medical center of Bethesda, Maryland called "Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba (SUDS)" (you can be from any military branch to participate, not just the Army).

The goal is not just leisure--scuba diving can provide physical therapy benefits for recovering service members as well.

Full details are available on the SUDS website:
http://sudsdiving.org/

SBA Small Business Seminar for Veterans in Brownsville Texas Area, June 28th

Free Small Business Administration (SBA) event for small veteran-owned businesses to be held on June 28th in Brownsville, Texas:

PROCUREMENT FOR VETERANS

Whether you’re just starting a small business or expanding to take advantage of federal contracting opportunities, your business needs the right tools at the right time in order to succeed.  Come see if you qualify for SBA’s procurement and financing programs.

• Learn about 8(a)/Federal HUBZone programs (SBA Contracting Programs).
• Learn about the VetBiz program (to be conducted by PTAC-Procurement Technical Assistance Center).
• Learn about SBA Patriot Express Loan Program.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!

Call us to confirm your seat today!

Date: June 28, 2012

Time: 10:00AM--12:00PM

Location: International Innovative Center (ITEC)

310 Mexico Blvd. Brownsville, TX 78520 

No fees required!

Seating is limited, we ask that no more than two representatives from each company attend. This seminar is subject to change. Please call today to (956)427-8533, X228, for reservations or register at http://events.sba.gov/eventmanagement/eventlisting.aspx?state=TX

Free Museum Admissions for Military Families This Summer

The Blue Stars Museum Initiative "a collaboration among the National Endowment of the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,500 museums across America" (according to its website) "offers free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 28, through Labor Day, September 3, 2012." The website has a clickable map to help you locate participating museums in your area.

http://www.nea.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/index2012.php?st=VA#list

Wounded Warrior Rehab on the Slopes of Colorado

I am always on the lookout for interesting  and inspiring Wounded Warrior athletic, rehabilitation, and outdoor programs, and I recently discovered an awesome skiing, sledding, and snowboarding organization that combines all three elements--the Vail Veterans Program, which has been in operation for about 10 years now helping veterans cope with their medical issues through therapeutic activities on the slopes and mountainsides of Colorado.

To learn more about this program, check out their website (link below) and I will also try to reach out to this organization to find out if there is a long waiting list (or not) and how a veteran can get on the list.

Vail Veterans Program Website:
www.VailVeteransProgram.com

June 26-28 Detroit Veterans Job Fair

This veterans job fair to be held June 26-28, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan at the COBO Center is sponsored by the VA and it looks like it is going to be huge!

The main website is:
http://vaforvets.va.gov/veterans/aboutva/hiringevents/Pages/EVENT_Detroit_June2012.aspx

There will be dozens and dozens of private/commercial companies and federal agencies hiring and looking for veterans, so polish up your resume and give it a try.

We Remember World War II Veterans on D-Day Today

World War II veterans, we remember you and salute you today on this anniversary of D Day, which was June 6, 1944.

Today I am especially thinking of Mr. Jack A. of Crofton, Maryland, who was there in 1944 and lost good friends that day. Thank you for your service, Jack!

Are you or your loved one already registered in the electronic database for the World War II monument in Washington, DC? You can check online here:
http://www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=registry.asp&subpage=intro

June 2012 is PTSD Awareness Month

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has consolidated a number of PTSD resources on this government website:

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/about/ptsd-awareness/ptsd_awareness_month.asp

Interesting items on this site include:

• PTSD symptom checklist
• Portable PTSD app--help and advice through your smartphone
• Video clips from people who have received PTSD treatment and discovered that it was helpful

It's OK to seek PTSD treatment--you've been through extreme circumstances other people don't necessarily understand, so talking to somebody who understands PTSD can help you feel better, or at least less alone.

To talk to other military members about PTSD totally anonymously, you can go to:
www.notalone.com

or: www.ptsdanonymous.com

Free Memorial Day Perks and Discounts for Veterans 2012

Happy Memorial Day Weekend 2012, everybody!

Thank you, veterans and families, for everything you do for our country.

Thank you, Dad, for getting on that ship to Japan in 1945 not knowing that the atomic bomb would be dropped a few days later to spare you from tragedy. I would not have had the courage to get on that ship myself, certainly not as a teenager, like you did. My Dad was William A. Fielding of the USN (1927-2003).

The website www.veteranownedbusiness.com has a great running tally of all the freebies, discounts, and perks for veterans available this weekend--take a look at it here:
http://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/blog/memorial-day-military-discounts-freebies-specials-deals/

Have a safe and fun weekend, everyone!

Department of Labor Women Veterans Twitter Event on May 22nd

The following announcement is from the United States Department of Labor:

In recognition of Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day

You are cordially invited to:

The U.S. Department of Labor’s

Women Veterans Twitter Town Hall

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 12 noon (EDT)

Hosted by:

U.S. Department of Labor

Women’s Bureau

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

Employment and Training Administration

With special guests from:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

John 14:2, Inc., Women Veterans Interactive

Business and Professional Women’s Foundation

To join, you can send the Women’s Bureau your questions by e-mail to womensbureaunetwork@dol.gov before Monday, May 21 by 3 p.m. EDT or follow @USDOL. You can tweet questions in advance and throughout the event using hashtag #VetsTownHall.

We look forward to hearing from you on Tuesday. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

U.S. Department of Labor - Women's Bureau - 200 Constitution Ave., NW - Washington, DC 20210
202.693.6710 (telephone) - 202.693.6725 (fax) - website: www.dol.gov/wb/

Armed Forces Week 2012 Benefit: Free National Park Passes

The White House announced today:

"Starting on Armed Forces Day, this Saturday, May 19, we will be offering all active duty military a free annual pass that will grant access to service members and their dependents, to more than 2,000 sites across the country, including National Parks.

"The annual pass will be accepted at all public land sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees, including those managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps.

"From Yosemite to Acadia to the Grand Canyon, we are putting out a welcome mat for our military families at America’s most beautiful and storied sites.

"Service men and women from all five branches of the military – the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, including the Reserves and National Guard – are eligible just by showing a current, valid military identification card. The pass is also available for the family members of active duty military, which is critical because we know that military spouses and children make sacrifices for our country every day too."

Where and how to get your free park passes:
  http://store.usgs.gov/pass/military.html

Baltimore Career Expo for Veterans on May 3, 2012

Military.com is hosting a free job fair for veterans featuring prominent employers like Northrop Grumman, ManTech, and USAA in Baltimore, Maryland on May 3, 2012.

The full details and registration can be accessed here:
http://www.military.com/career-expo/2012-baltimore-career-fair/?ESRC=careerexpo.se

SRA Wounded Warrior Hiring Program

SRA International, based out of Fairfax, Virginia, has committed to hiring service disabled veterans through its Wounded Warrior Program.

SRA currently employs about 6,100 people, according to a Washington Post article published yesterday.

If you are interested in employment with this federal contractor, check out their Careers for Wounded Warriors page at http://www.sra.com/careers/veterans/

National Parks Admission is Free Across the USA Now Through April 29

This freebie is not just for veterans--it is for everyone--but I wanted to include it because this is a free activity you can do with your family and kids; some of the popular national parks cost $20 or more to get in, and during these tight financial times, saving a 20 spot can feel like a substantial savings.

For more information and a list of national parks you can see for free this week, check out:
http://www.nationalparks.org/national-park-week-2012

Free Photo Book for any Servicemember Stationed Abroad

Still have a loved one serving overseas? Send them a 20-page full cover photo book of recent snapshots for free through this program offered by the USO and RocketLife:

http://uso.rocketlifeproduction.com/

SAIC Will Hire 1,500 Veterans in 2012

Job hunters, SAIC announced today that it will hire 1,500 veterans in 2012 at locations all over the nation.

Currently 25 percent of the SAIC workforce is composed of vets, according to Washington Business Journal.

The SAIC employment website is: http://www.saic.com/career/

Franchising 101 for Veterans Free Webinar on April 19

SCORE (formerly known as the "Service Corps of Retired Executives") has scheduled a free webinar for veterans interested in opening franchise businesses for April 19, 2012.

Register Here

If the link above does not work, Google "SCORE" to go to the SCORE website and then click "Online Workshops" to register.

Disabled Veterans, the Department of Justice Wants You To Know Your Employment Rights

The U.S. Department of Justice has a great, 28-page-long, plain-language publication you can download free of charge that explains how employers are supposed to treat you as a disabled veteran:
http://www.ada.gov/publicat.htm#servicemember

There's good information in this publication for those with physical disabilities and for those with PTSD. Know your rights so that employers treat you right!

Free and Cheap Counseling and Mental Health Help for Veterans and Their Family Members

Need someone unbiased and understanding to talk to for awhile? The folks at Give An Hour offer a safe place for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their family members to receive free and low cost support, help, counseling, and mental health treatment for a variety of issues and conditions. You can find them online here:

www.giveanhour.org

Please know there is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about if you need occasional or long term help, counseling, or treatment for depression, anxiety, or related medical conditions--doctors estimate 1 in every 4 Americans need treatment for these conditions even if they have never been in combat, so these common conditions affect a ton of people, both veteran and non-veteran alike.

I've been successfully medicated for depression and anxiety myself for 10+ years now, something I openly talk about in public to try to help other people feel more comfortable with mental health care, and as such one of my personal goals is to eradicate this widespread stigma our society has that military members supposedly should not talk about anxiety, depression, PTSD, or related mental health issues.

The key word in the term "mental health" is "health." Just as you take care of your physical well being by going to the doctor for periodic tune ups, being fully healthy also means taking care of your pyschological well being by going to the doctor or the counselor for periodic tune ups when needed.

Depression, anxiety, and related health problems are not necessarily permanent, either, so thinking of counseling and treatment as temporary "maintenance" for your body might help it to feel less intimidating.

2012 Calendar of Career Fairs Sponsored by Military Dot Com

The helpfulwebsite www.military.com has posted an online calendar listing all of its 2012 career and job fairs going on nationwide:

http://www.military.com/career-expo/career-fair-calendar-2012/?ESRC=careerexpo.se

Brief Hiatus due to Illness and Trip...

The recent gap in posts was because I was sick for several weeks and then had to go on a short family trip out of state. The next few weeks will be quite hectic for me at my full time job, so posts will be sporadic until I get some more free time. Trying my best!

Injury and Disability Resource for Veterans and Their Families

For veterans (or their family members) who are coping with injuries, disabilities, or related health problems such as TBI or PTSD, here is a website that provides a lot of information about how to deal with these medical and health issues (that also serves as a social and support network sponsored by the VA):

Make the Connection: Shared Experiences and Support for Veterans
http://maketheconnection.net/

Where Veterans Are Finding the Best Jobs, According to Payscale.com

Payscale.com recently ran the numbers to determine the top 10 jobs for veterans (as reflected by data in their proprietary career information databases) to show returning veterans where their compatriots are finding the most jobs—“the most common, well-paid and quickly growing professions chosen by veterans”--and they are: 

1. Management consultant 

2. Program Manager in Information Technology (IT)

3. Systems Analyst 

4. FBI Agent 

5. Field Service Engineer, Medical Equipment 

6. Systems Engineer (Computer Networking / IT) 

7. Information Technology (IT) Consultant 

8. Intelligence Analyst 

9. Helicopter Pilot 

10. Network Engineer, IT 

The full Payscale.com blog post with additional information you will likely find handy is located online here: http://blogs.payscale.com/ask_dr_salary/2012/02/top-jobs-for-veterans.html

General Electric Wants to Hire 5,000 Veterans

USAToday and other reputable media outlets are reporting this month that General Electric (GE) wants to hire 5,000 veterans over the next 5 years through its "Hire Our Heroes" program.

Apparently G.I. Jobs Magazine ranks GE as a top recruiter of military talent.

For more information about veteran employment options with GE, go to:
http://www.ge.com/careers/veterans/index.html

Veterans’ Psychiatric Service Dogs from Veteran's Best Friend

A pal of mine alerted me to this exciting charitable foundation that helps veterans with anxiety and PTSD obtain Psychiatric Service Dogs which are in turn rescued from shelters: Veteran's Best Friend

Multiple studies have shown that having a close relationship with a pet can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression (not just for veterans but for many different categories of people) plus promote general health and longevity.

Also, shelter pets make awesome companions--many of them are homeless not because they are defective in any way but just because their owners had some tough times and had to give them up. One fourth of all shelter dogs are purebreds.

This wonderful group helps two populations (one human, one animal) at once, so we are especially excited we found out about this charity this month!

CSC Military Recruitment Program

Government contractor CSC has announced its Military Recruitment Program to hire veterans, disabled veterans, and spouses of veterans. The CSC website with all of the employment details is:

http://www.csc.com/careersus/ds/11849-military_programs

Frederick Maryland Double T Diner 15% Off Your Meal with Military ID

For those of you who live in or near Frederick County, Maryland, the Double T Diner is advertising 15% off your check with a military ID. Their website is:

http://www.doubletdiner.com/

We emailed them to see if this same offer applies at all 8 Baltimore-area locations but do not have a response yet.

Join Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America for Free

Nonprofit advocacy organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) offers basic free memberships to all those who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Benefits of membership include but are not limited to:

1. Access to job fairs and social events (including free tickets) for vets
2. Access to an online social network dedicated to veterans and their interests
3. Special rewards and giveaways
4. Advocacy and help if you are dealing with an educational, medical, or related transitional issue
5. Networking opportunities

To join up, you can start here: http://iava.org/

Start Up & Grow Veterans Business Conference in New York State on March 13th

The Small Business Administration is sponsoring the following free business conference for New York State veterans who want to start a company or grow an existing company:

For more information, go to the following SBA web page:
http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3136/news/40791

Valentines for Veterans 2012

To send a Valentine to a veteran currently residing in a Veterans Administration hospital, Fisher House location or military retirement facility, you can download a print a valentine from the following Flickr website, then drop it off at your local Army & Air Force Exchange Service for distribution:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aafespa/6690741735/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Valentines are collected from now through February 6, 2012.

Thank you to Military.com for alerting me to the existence of this program.

(I myself am a civilian and do not have access to an Exchange at this time, so I will seek out any related programs to allow for Valentines to be sent to veterans through other distribution methods and I will post here if I find some good options for those who cannot access an Exchange.)

Resume Writing Tips for Veterans, Part One

Most people--whether they recently served in the military or not--do not have a recent and updated resume on hand.
Resume writing can be stressful, especially if you are starting with a blank page, so in an attempt to make the process easier, here's a few fast resume writing tips. (Later posts will contain more resume writing tips, but let's start with five fast and simple ones.)

1. If you use Microsoft Word software to create your new resume, you can use one of the basic resume templates to begin. Use the "File: New" command and you should see a dialogue box with templates available; select "Resumes and CVs" followed by "Basic Resumes." This way the page is already formatted for you.

2. If you have retired after a full career in the military, you are allowed to list your rank upon retirement followed by the annotation (Ret.) at the top of the page. Example: USN Capt. Marcia Vail (Ret.)

3. In most cases and for most jobs, a 1-page resume will suffice, but sometimes you have to use more than one page. Busy hiring managers don't always bother to read beyond the first page of the resume, though, so if your resume is several pages long, be sure to put the best stuff that you want to highlight about yourself on page #1. For example, you might want to include a short summary of your career experience at the top of the first page.

4. You can include a hiring Objective if you want to, but you can also take the Objective section out--it's a little bit old fashioned these days, and most hiring managers don't care about the Objective anyway. If you do decide to retain the Objective, tailor it for every position you apply for  rather than using one bland, generic statement about your goals. For example, instead of "Objective: Obtain senior sales position at a defense contractor" try something more specific like "Objective: Seeking dynamic senior sales position at Lockheed Martin that will allow me to combine my skills in logistics with my interests in..."

5. Always, always, always spell out the full names of equipment, software systems, etc. upon first use rather than using undefined acronyms. Example: Most civilians don't know what an MRAP is beyond the fact that it is a heavily armored vehicle. Spell it out on first use--Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. After the first use in the document you are allowed to just use the acronym, but always spell it out on first use.

Free Adventures with Outward Bound for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

Outward Bound sponsors free activity and adventure packages for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who are interested in meeting and bonding with other veterans in an outdoor adventure setting.

The interest level in these courses is high, so you probably will need to sign up on a wait list, but it can't hurt to check it out:

Outward Bound Course List for Veterans

866-669-2362 ext. 8387

Happy New Year 2012!

Our blogging activity slowed down a lot over the holidays, but we hope to pick up speed again and make a lot of improvements to the site in 2012. We hope 2012 is a better year for everyone!