Category: Veterans

Know What To Look For: The 4 Big Signs Of PTSD Laid Out In Less Than 4 Minutes

The statistics are staggering. Since October, 2001, approximately 2,050,000 U.S. troops have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq (respectively, OEF, OIF, OND [Operation New Dawn]) Nearly 7,000 American troops have been killed in combat Iraq and Afghanistan during the past decade. –More than 52,000 have been wounded in combat. 

But what about the veterans who return home with a disabling injury?

  • Only 1 in 28 wounds in battle result in death
  • Survivors are likely to be more seriously disabled than in the past
  • A reasonable and likely conservative estimate is that 40% of veterans are individuals with disabilities

The signature disabilities of these conflicts are traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While we may hear stories about the veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan struggling with PTSD,  the general public, and many veterans, lack an understanding about what PTSD actually is or what the signs are.

To educate veterans and the public, the  U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD, created the video, What is PTSD?

Servicemembers with Student Loans Could be Missing out on Help

Many members of the military with student loans are spending way too much to pay off those loans. They are not accessing the student loan repayment protections and forgiveness benefits that have been granted to them under federal rules.

Unfortunately, those rules are extremely complex, and not all loan servicers are properly handling the loans or advising their clients. A report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (PDF) shows that many servicemembers are paying thousands too much over the life of their loans.

To read the complete post and to access PDF documents  such as Action Guide for Servicemembers with Student Loans which shows you step-by-step how to take advantage of the repayment protections mandated by Congress, visit:  Servicemembers with Student Loans Could be Missing out on Help

Veteran’s Guide to Employment Rights Under the ADA Now Available

The Southeast ADA Center and its Kentucky Affiliate, MLM Associates, have created an employment rights guide for veterans with disabilities. The guide includes practical information to help veterans with disabilities understand their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA assures that all people have the same opportunities and rights.

The “Know Your Employment Rights Under the ADA A Guide for Veterans” guide  is now available as a PDF.  The guide discusses the following topics and more:

• the ADA’s definition of disability, which is broader than the military’s
• protecting veterans with disabilities from discrimination in their job search
• reasonable accommodations employers are required to make for veterans and other people with disabilities
• disclosing a disability to an employer or potential employer
• where to turn if a veteran feels his or her employment rights have been violated
• veteran employment initiatives and related websites

Another very helpful site for veterans is Understanding Your Employment Rights Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A Guide for Veterans  from the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission.