On the last Sunday in September – falling this year on September 27th – Gold Star Mother’s Day is an observed holiday originally declared in June of 1936. Gold Star Mother’s Day is a “public expression of the love, sorrow and reverence of the people of the United States for the American Gold Star Mothers.”
SEALs Swim for Charity On August 8th of this year, a team of 72 U.S. Navy SEALs, several veterans, and military supporters from all over the United States came together for the second year in a row to swim across the Hudson River to raise funds for the GI Go Fund organization. Although the current… Read more »
National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979. Observed on the 3rd Friday in September to recognize and honor those that were Prisoners of War (POW) or those who are still Missing in Action (MIA). Included is a personal account and remembrance by Lori Waddell of her grandfather, Fred Jossi, a POW during World War II.
On September 14th, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Management announced a data breach involving the personal information of approximately 46,000 Veterans. Here’s what we know.
The daily challenges faced by military children make them resilient. They withstand deployments, moves, and traveling the world. Their experience is unique, and should be appreciated by, and reflected in, the support they receive. Here are three completely free programs which recognize this unique experience, and offer tools to help keep military children strong—physically, emotionally, and mentally.
In light of the recent tragic death of Fort Hood soldier Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, a spotlight has turned to the topic of sexual harassment and assault within the military. Pfc. Guillen was killed after experiencing sexual harassment from soldiers within her unit. In a properly supervised and educated military structure, there should have been many individuals to keep this from happening.
Watchdog Reports: Troops and Families May Not Be Receiving Adequate Mental Health Care Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, military families were having trouble getting the mental health care they needed, according to new data from an online survey conducted in late 2019. Whether they are active-duty families, military retiree families or veteran families, about half… Read more »
More than 78,000 veterans died by suicide between 2005 and 2017, according to the VA. Veteran suicide deaths rose from 5,787 in 2005 to 6,139 in 2017. Within the active military, the National Guard, has the highest rate of any branch, according to the most recent DoD Annual Suicide Report.
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the military. An average of 20 veterans die by suicide each day. Alarmingly, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the rate of suicide has spiked by 35% since 1999, and it’s still on the rise.
Veteran-Owned Businesses a Good Choice for Post-Covid Economic Recovery In 2018, the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) conducted research that resulted in the finding that 95% of Americans feel overwhelmingly grateful to those who’ve served. But with the world-altering pandemic that is COVID-19, how we live, how we interact, and the choices we make as… Read more »