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When Marine Corps veteran Eugene Morris left the service after Vietnam, he got married and started a family. Before too long, his life would begin to unravel. Morris didn’t realize it at the time but his post-traumatic stress disorder sent him in a downward spiral, eventually leading to stints in prison and homelessness. “I didn't know that I had PTSD and a whole bunch of other symptoms when I came back,” said Morris, who lives in Ogden, Utah. “It took a toll because I didn’t know exactly what to do. I came back lost. My pride would never let me ask for help. I was kind of a country boy growing up in the country so we have always been able to hold our own there.” Morris was homeless for nearly 17 years. A few years ago, he was facing a lengthy prison sentence for his involvement with drugs. In stepped National Executive Committeeman Terry Schow. They first met about 10 years ago when Schow was on the board of the Homeless Veterans Fellowship, a transitional facility in Ogden. Schow had met many homeless veterans but saw something special in Morris. “As you try to shape them or put them in a box to get them where they need to be, you get them pretty close to where they want benefits,” Schow said. “But I saw in Eugene a different guy. Obviously he's a very respectful, polite kind of person. I just saw something in him that said that this is a fellow that we could save. We could make a difference.” When Morris stumbled and was facing prison, Schow testified on his behalf and set up a specialized treatment program. He convinced a judge that Morris deserved a second chance. Morris flourished, working with other veterans, including the homeless. He developed mentoring skills and refined his artistic skills. Schow also gave Morris some work as a painter and plasterer. “He still helps me today with different things,” Schow said. “I've got a bad hip so I can't do some of those kind of things but he's become kind of like a part of our family. We have him come to Thanksgiving and Christmas things. But he's a goodhearted man and he's one of the success stories that show that VA homeless programs can and do work.” When he lived on the streets, Morris was involved with Cripple Quill – a group of homeless artists who would put their work on public display. Eventually, the city shut down the dilapidated building that served as their makeshift studio. Later, a local nonprofit group donated a warehouse for their workshop. Today, Morris continues to create unique works - watercolor, oil painting, acrylic, airbrush - in his own style. “I do a lot of it for just recreational stuff because that's what I like to do,” he said. “It's a therapy thing for me actually. It doesn’t allow me to go back and drown in my own little pity party. It keeps me focused where at least I'm going toward a goal, to achieve a goal.” His next goal is to become a peer counselor with VA. “It makes me feel awesome because I'm a people's person and I love doing things to help other people. First, I had to help myself first and thank God there are people like Mr. Schow, otherwise I would not be here now.” For Schow, seeing Morris blossom was well worth the investment. “We have to be willing to take some personal responsibility and reach out and help folks like Eugene,” Schow said. “Eugene has no other support system up here. He has no family here. All of his family is back east and so we felt it was kind of helpful.” Even when Morris lived on the streets, he envisioned having his own home. He just couldn’t visualize the path until Schow came into the picture. “It was kind of a like a dream,” Morris recalled. “I really had kind of always wanted to own a piece of property, but to have a roof over my head after not having it so long, I'm grateful.”   By Henry Howard
Transitioning from military life to a civilian career is often filled with mystery, anxiety, and challenges. There are also aspects of taking off the uniform that bring excitement and opportunity. Whether your goals are to pursue entrepreneurship, work for the government or a non-profit, or enter the private business sector, you’ll need a strong personal brand to have a successful civilian career. What is a Personal Brand? Think of your personal brand as your reputation. It offers you competitive advantage if you are known as someone who can overcome obstacles, build cohesive teams, and add value to a project. On the other hand, if your reputation is that of a troublemaker or someone who is difficult to work with, you will attract fewer opportunities.Your personal brand is how other people feel about you. The feeling they have leads them to assign you opportunity, such as offering you a job or promotion. It might sound overly simple to say that your personal brand is a feeling others have, but in truth, it’s how the world works! If a civilian hiring manager is comparing two applicants for a job opening who have similar experiences and backgrounds but one is more energetic and approachable, he might choose to hire that person simply because the perception is that they’d be more fun to work with! As human beings, we want to do business with people we like and get along with. If I can expect to enjoy or be challenged or learn more from you, that perception might give you enough competitive advantage to get hired.Employers seek candidates who have a clear sense of who they are and what they can offer to the company. When you are focused and relevant, employers find it easier to hire you! How Do You Create a Personal Brand? The good news is that you already have a personal brand. By default, you have a reputation with those around you – during your military service, in your post-military career, and even online on your social networks. People have beliefs and perceptions about who you are, what you value, and what you want.If you can be strategic about your personal brand, you gain power! You can actually become more intentional and focused about how you come across to others, the impression you are making, and the experience you are setting with key people in your career.  When you are intentional about your reputation, you are in control of your career and will find the results to be more meaningful and impactful!Building your reputation to be consistent with your vision is a simple process, but it’s not easy. You have to become an expert on yourself, which means asking and answering tough questions. To become intentional and strategic about your brand, follow these steps: Assess your current reputation. As stated above, you already have a personal brand – the people you interact with have formed perceptions about you. Step one is learning what that perception is. Ask people you trust to give you an honest assessment of your value, what they believe you are passionate about and focused on, and what makes you stand out. Resist the urge to correct them if you disagree with their assessment. They are reflecting perception of you, and that is a reality you must acknowledge.   Envision your desired brand. How would you like to be known? Do you want people to see you as innovative and creative? Would you like to have earned a reputation as a leader in your field? Envision what you want your legacy to look like after you have departed. How did you make people feel when they were around you?  This might feel a bit abstract, and that’s okay. Remember, you have to be very clear on the desired outcome of your personal brand to be able to translate it for a hiring manager who’s interviewing hundreds of job applicants who look just like you. As you envision your desired brand, refrain from going outside of what is possible. At age 40 you likely won’t be able to train to be a world-class baseball player. But you can build a reputation as someone who is passionate about serving his community by empowering others.   Identify your target audience. Who do you want to work with? Do people who dream big and create impactful ideas inspire you? Or, do you prefer to work with people who are more structured or analytical in their approach? Once you identify what kind of people you work well with, consider what companies and industries they work in.  As you narrow down the people and companies you would like to focus on, you are creating your target audience. Next, learn all you can about these people. What do they like/dislike? Are they active online? Do they share the same values as you? Are you connected to them in any way (i.e. online)? Tap into your military training to become an expert on who your target audience is and what they need. Don’t forget that, as human beings, they also have feelings and will desire to work with people they like and respect.    Tie it all together. With an understanding of your starting place (current brand), a picture of your desired reputation, and a focus on your target audience, you can begin to create the plan and tools you will need to promote yourself to your desired employer. Your personal brand will be expressed in how you act, what you say, and how you present yourself. From your online profiles, handshake, conversation, and the references who vouch for you, your personal brand will tell the employer whether you bring the values and experience they are hiring for.  Experience, skills, certifications, and talents are important in getting the attention of hiring managers and recruiters. Your personal brand is how you express your past into a promise of future work and future value.  You need to tell the story of who you are and why you are relevant. To rely solely on your experience, particularly if most of your background took place in the context of military service, is neglecting the emotional connection employers seek in their hires. People do business with people they can trust, relate to, and with whom they believe they will enjoy working! Developed through the VFW’s collaboration with Lida Citroën of the international brand strategy firm LIDA360, this article is part of the VFW’s expanding education and transitioning services, resources and webinars designed to provide service members and veterans transitioning to the civilian workforce with an opportunity to learn about personal branding and strategies for navigating the job search process. To learn more about Lida’s commitment to the veteran community, check out her recent TEDX talk.  By Lida Citroën, principal, LIDA360
Too often, families of deployed troops or recently discharged veterans find themselves with unexpected expenses. Perhaps the family car quit running or the furnace stopped working on a frigid day. This is why VFW’s Unmet Needs is such a valuable program. It provides financial assistance up to $5,000 to active-duty troops or veterans for expenses such as rent, mortgage, vehicle repairs and utilities. Tyisha Jones is one such veteran. She served in the Army as a human resource specialist from 2010 until 2015. During Operation Enduring Freedom, she was stationed in Qatar from November 2013 until October 2014. After she was discharged from the Army, Jones moved back to Memphis, Tenn., where she enrolled in ITT-Technical Institute. Unfortunately, that institution unexpectedly filed for bankruptcy, leaving thousands of students feeling helpless.  “It left me and other students in a financial crisis,” said Jones, the mother of two children. Jones searched online for programs offering help to military veterans. That’s when she happened upon the Unmet Needs program. “VFW gave me peace of mind,” she said. “It helped me pay my late bills and bring them current. I almost lost hope, but after I contacted VFW they assured me that they would assist, and they held their promise.” Jones, who is now enrolled at Strayer University in Memphis and working for General Electric, said she would give VFW an “exceptional rating” for its work in helping her. “I would tell other veterans, ‘If you ever find yourself in a financial crisis like I did, do not hesitate to contact VFW,’” she said. “They took care of me, and you can rest assured they will take care of you.” Photo caption: VFW Unmet Needs grant recipient Tyisha Jones and her son.By Janie Dyhouse, associate editor, VFW magazine
Newswise — Specialized Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) – a growing trend across the U.S. – are effectively providing former members of the armed forces with the support and services they need, according to Veterans Treatment Courts: 2015 Survey Results, a new report by the Justice Programs Office (JPO) at American University’s School of Public Affairs. “Veterans Treatment Courts are relatively new,” said Kim Ball, Director of JPO. “We hope that this report, the most in-depth on this topic to-date, will help courts continue to improve and meet best practice standards.” According to a 2008 study, nearly half a million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. More than 300,000 struggle with substance abuse and an equal number are estimated to have suffered some form of traumatic brain injury (TBI). VTCs help to connect vets with essential health and mental-health services and provide a sense of “mission” and a military support network that many participants in the courts say they lost when they returned to civilian life. Introduced in 2008, VTC is a new type of “problem solving” or “treatment court” that addresses substance use disorders and other issues underlying participants’ involvement in the justice system; successful participants become eligible to have their sentences reduced or the charges against them dropped. The JPO report analyzed responses to questionnaires completed by participants in VTCs around the country and found that, true to their intent, these new courts are providing veterans with the access to much needed services. More than 80 percent of the courts indicated that they were able to match participants with veteran mentors who could provide assistance both in and out of the courtroom. Most courts are also following established best practices. More than 80 percent of the courts conducted random drug tests for those whose offenses involved substance abuse; more than 90 percent had policy and procedure manuals, formal mission and purpose statements, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities for those who are part of the Veterans Treatment Court team; and more than 90 percent said they shared information with the Veterans Administration to facilitate service delivery, usually through Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) specialists assigned to the court. “The men and women who serve our country deserve all the help we can provide them when they return home,” said AU School of Public Affairs’ Senior Associate Dean Vicky Wilkins, who has conducted research on veterans issues. “Veterans Treatment Courts hold participants accountable, but they also allow veterans to receive the treatment and services they need to heal.” A webinar highlighting the findings of the report will be held on Tuesday, December 13, at 2 p.m. -AU- American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.
DENVER (AP) -- A Department of Veterans Affairs employee who told Congress the agency was using unauthorized wait lists for mental health care in Colorado has resigned, saying he was subjected to retaliation for speaking up. Brian Smothers told The Associated Press Wednesday the VA had opened two separate inquiries into his actions and tried to get him to sign a statement saying he had broken VA rules. He says he refused. Smothers also says the VA reassigned him to an office with no computer access, no significant duties and no social contact. He resigned Tuesday. VA officials had no immediate comment on Smothers' retaliation claim but said the agency doesn't tolerate retaliation. Smothers alleges VA clinics in Colorado used unauthorized wait lists that hid how long veterans must wait for treatment.     BY DAN ELLIOTTASSOCIATED PRESS  
DALLAS (AP) -- The president of the Chili's restaurant chain says the manager who took away a veteran's free Veterans Day meal has been "removed" from the job. In a statement issued Monday, Chili's President Kelli Valade also said she personally apologized to Ernest Walker for the manager's actions and thanked him for his service to the country. Ernest Walker posted a video to Facebook on Friday of the manager removing his meal at a Chili's in the Dallas suburb of Cedar Hill. The Army veteran wrote that the meal was removed after another diner questioned the uniform Walker was wearing. Walker says the manager took his meal even after Walker showed his military ID and discharge papers. Walker says he bought the fatigues after his discharge as a tribute to his service.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Department of Veterans Affairs would have to ensure that all telephone calls and messages received by a crisis hotline are answered in a timely manner under a bill on its way to the president. The Senate on Wednesday gave final legislative approval to the measure. It comes after a report that more than one-third of calls to a hotline for troubled veterans are not being answered by front-line staffers because of poor work habits and other problems. The hotline's former director says calls frequently roll over to back-up centers where workers have less training to deal with veterans' problems. Republican Rep. David Young of Iowa sponsored the bill, saying "a veteran in need cannot wait for help." The toll-free hotline number is 800-273-8255.   BY MATTHEW DALYASSOCIATED PRESS
What started as a motorcycle ride-turned Good Samaritan act became a 24-hour viral whirlwind for American Legion Rider Dan Barkalow. And now Barkalow is ready to settle back into his normal life. On Veterans Day, Barkalow – a Sons of The American Legion member and Legion Rider from Monmouth Post 54 in the Freehold Borough of New Jersey – fellow Legion Rider Bob Grigs and their friend Ryan Bailey took part in a ceremony at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Holmdel in New Jersey. Barkalow said that since it was such a nice day the trio decided to take a ride to Manasquan before returning to Freehold. On their way back home they came upon a man and his disabled motorcycle. “We stopped to see if we could lend assistance,” Barkalow said. “Pretty much as soon as I got off my motorcycle I looked over and saw it was Bruce. I approached him and said ‘I know ya.’ He just kind of shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.” “Bruce” was Bruce Springsteen, the New Jersey-born rock and roll icon who has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide while earning an Academy Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Springsteen, who was born in Freehold, also was out for a ride when the battery on his motorcycle died. After being unable to get Springsteen’s bike going, they put him on the back of one of their bikes and took him to Mulligan’s, a nearby restaurant. “We sat down, had a couple of beers and basically talked about old Freehold,” Barkalow said. “He was great. Myself and my buddies are all from Freehold, and he was born and raised in Freehold. That was just an added bonus. “We asked him a couple questions about some of his concerts. It was unbelievable. He was just one of the guys, a basic down-to-earth kind of guy.” Before Springsteen’s ride arrived, “The Boss” picked up the tab, told his rescuers to keep the change, posed for some photographs and then took down each of his rescuers’ phone numbers. A photo of Springsteen and the Riders was posted on Facebook and went viral. Major news outlets like CNN, Billboard and SPIN picked up on the story. It received mentions on Today and The Howard Stern Show. “It went crazy,” Barkalow said. “It all started when my daughter put a post on Facebook, which I told her not to do. And it just kind of spiraled out of control. It was pretty neat, actually. But hopefully (my celebrity) is short-lived. “We just stopped to help a fellow cyclist. It just happened to be Bruce. We would have stopped for anybody.”
American Legion National Commander Charles E. Schmidt is calling on all posts, districts, counties, areas, zones, departments and affiliates of the organization to help build an unparalleled database of memorials and monuments that honor U.S. military service and sacrifice. The database and uploading instructions can be found at www.legion.org/memorials on the Legion’s national website. “As The American Legion nears its centennial year, one aspect of our organization’s rich legacy is universal – ‘to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the great wars,’” Schmidt said, quoting from the Preamble to The American Legion Constitution. “We know that in virtually every corner of the country, and beyond our shores, American Legion Family members have paid tribute to military service, honor and remembrance by carving out sacred spaces in their communities to ensure that the price paid for freedom is not lost on future generations.” Schmidt said the Legion’s memorials database project is a great opportunity to involve the entire American Legion Family, youth groups such as Boy Scouts, local civic organizations, schools and others. “It is especially important to assess the conditions of these memorials – whether it’s a plaque in the park listing a county’s war dead or a well-known community statue or plaza. What better way to commemorate the Legion’s centennial than to spruce up, repair and revive awareness to those who served before us, whose memorials and monuments may be showing the effects of age and weather? It’s also the perfect time for communities to reacquaint themselves with the meaning of their memorials.” The American Legion Memorial Inventory Project is not focused on any one war era. “We know that American Legion posts care for memorials ranging from the Revolution to the Global War on Terrorism, all around the world,” Schmidt said. “We also are well aware that some of them have come under attack because they may contain some religious symbolism or language, and The American Legion steadfastly opposes removal or revision of such monuments. In order to ensure their continued respect and protection, we have a responsibility to index them and bring attention to their original and intended meaning.” The web platform – easily accessed and used from a smartphone or electronic tablet – asks for the location of the memorial, a description of it, date of installation if known and a rating of its condition. Uploaders are also strongly encouraged to take photos of the memorial and post them onto the database. Once a submission has been made, it may take a couple of days before it appears, following review. The American Legion is also working with the United States World War One Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library to document monuments and memorials dedicated specifically to World War I, thousands of which were erected by the early American Legion. The 100 Cities/100 Memorials program includes a matching-money grant opportunity for applicants. More can be learned about that project at www.worldwar1centennial.org/100-cities-100-memorials-home online. The American Legion National Executive Committee passed Resolution 10 during the Oct. 12-13 meetings in Indianapolis to encourage all American Legion posts, American Legion Riders chapters, American Legion Auxiliary units and affiliated groups to participate in the Veterans Memorial Identification Project and build the national database. “This is who we are in The American Legion,” said American Legion 100th Anniversary Observance Committee Chairman Robert W. Spanogle, a past national commander and past national adjutant of the organization. “This memorial identification project will be a major benefit for researchers, students, educators, the media and travelers who need to understand the story of our nation as told through the military experience and immortalized in every community. We have a sacred obligation to keep these memories alive, recorded and in the best possible condition.”
CEDAR HILL, Texas (AP) -- The parent company of Chili's says it wants to make things right after a veteran had his free meal taken away on Veterans Day. Ernest Walker posted a video to Facebook on Friday of a manager taking away his meal at a Chili's in the Dallas suburb of Cedar Hill. The Army vet writes that the meal was taken away after another diner raised questions about the uniform Walker was wearing. Walker says the manager took his meal even after he showed him his military ID and discharge papers. Walker says he bought the fatigues he was wearing after he was discharged as a tribute to his service. Brinker International, which owns Chili's, tells KDFW-TV that it's taking the matter "very seriously." Walker's lawyer is set to meet with the company Monday.