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.