​Here is our site: https://silentprofessionals.org

As a combat veteran myself, I know how challenging it can be to transition to civilian life, which is why I launched this site to help others with their transition by helping them find work using the skills they gained in military service.

Thank you for your time and for assisting me in tackling this huge effort!

Sincerely,

Adam G. Gonzales
Founder
Silent Professionals

​

​If you’re a vet struggling to get enough rest, you’re not alone. In fact, some studies indicate there are veterans at a higher risk for issues like sleep apnea. Good quality slumber on a routine basis is a must to maintain your mental and physical health, though. Whatever is keeping you tossing and turning, here are some tips to help you get the rest that you need and deserve:
 
Shop for a new mattress. 
 
Perhaps one of the most effective ways you can improve your sleep is to invest in a new mattress. If your current mattress is showing signs of wear and tear or you are waking up with aches and pains, this could mean that it’s time to shop for a new one. 
 
Since there are so many options on the market, narrow your choices to a size that you think will work best. If you’re currently sleeping on a twin-size bed and need more space, consider going up to a queen, which MySlumberYard notes is the most popular bed size among American consumers. When choosing between queen-size mattress options, be sure to factor in your sleep style and firmness preference. For instance, Nectar is known for its superior memory foam mattresses while Leesa is renowned for its soft foam mattresses. 
 
Stay active. 
 
Per Johns Hopkins Medicine, lack of physical activity can have a significant impact on sleep. Make sure you maintain an exercise regimen at least five days a week. This will not only promote your physical health and help you burn energy before bedtime, but it can also yield a number of mental and emotional health benefits, such as boosting your mood and self-confidence. Aim to workout early in the day, since exercise close to bedtime might keep you up.
 
Manage stress throughout the day.
 
Stress is one of the most common reasons for sleep problems. There are a number of things you can try that might help you manage your stress throughout the day or to quiet your mind and body before bed. Try doing some mindful meditation, light stretching exercises, or breathing exercises. 
 
Another idea is to keep a gratitude journal. Inc. explains that the process of expressing things you’re thankful for appears to help people sleep better at night. Simply take the time to pen those specific things you are grateful for in your life.
 
Develop a good bedtime routine.
 
Lastly, try changing up your bedtime routine. Instead of watching TV or scrolling through social media in bed, leave those activities to an earlier time in the evening in a separate room. Dedicate your bedroom to sleep. Make sure it’s dark, cool, and quiet. 
 
Other things to consider include reading a book, taking a warm bath, and listening to calming music. The Los Angeles Times explains restful music can be a particularly good solution to those struggling with insomnia. Add an app to your phone to enjoy soothing sounds before bed.
 
If you’re unable to stream music from your phone due to data restrictions or just dislike the tinny sound from that tiny speaker, consider adding a mini stereo system to your bedroom. It’s a small investment in your well-being, and a small radio can easily move to other rooms when you’re entertaining, tinkering with your car, or doing housework. 
 
Talk to professionals. 
 
There’s no substitute for expert advice. If you make some simple changes and continue to have trouble getting rest, there are a couple options available to you. There are therapists who specialize in sleep disorders, even ones who specifically help veterans. Also, consider asking your doctor for a referral to a sleep medicine specialist, which can direct you to potential medications and treatments. 
 
As a veteran, know that you’re not alone if you find sleep hard to come by. But don’t ignore the issue, either. Seek advice from professionals, consider getting a new mattress, and get a good exercise routine and diet going. Also, try different activities that can help you to manage stress, and create a bedtime routine that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Making changes like these could be all that stands in the way of you getting great sleep. 
 
Image via Unsplash

​Contributed by Brian Boyd
 

Ryan MacKenzie, ryan@thankyouveteran.com contributed the following links:

https://www.military.com/spouse/relationships/military-marriage/strengthen-your-family-with-marital-counseling.html
https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/veterans-mental-health-issues
http://www.operationwearehere.com/Counseling.html
https://www.elderlawanswers.com/co-payments-for-veterans-health-care-12011
https://www.hireheroesusa.org/job-seekers/
https://turnkeyhomeloan.com/mortgage-help-for-veterans/
https://veteransemployment.net/veterans-services/career-resources/interview-tips/
https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/home-services-that-help-senior-veterans/


Kevin Heilman  Outreach Coordinator contributed in November
https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/psychology/understanding-a-veteran-with-ptsd/

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.vetrest.org_blog_links-2Dto-2Dhelp-2Dour-2Dveterans-2Dby-2Dbrian-2Dboyd&d=DwIFaQ&c=0YLnzTkWOdJlub_y7qAx8Q&r=NExF1wmlF2Tyd3cc-19q2X7SR1lxtzu41iI7AaB93MzIRU7x1lbZnhgwtiCItkhI&m=9K9HcqTwPS9R2w9XcQ7xhVEtQ60EzNNXgMOrRd8kVRk&s=lBJEUlio-dtrWKbrqrC6n_gj_CleHacbfUcRenxzMbI&e= 

​Gloria James | gloria.james@payingforseniorcare.com shares:  
Great resources that can help seniors and their families understand all the programs that can help pay for senior care.

https://www.caring.com/senior-living/assisted-living/oregon

What Veterans Should Know About Sleep--contributed by LouAnne Taylor
https://www.mattressclarity.com/blog/what-veterans-should-know-about-sleep/

Vets Need Financial Literacy Support to Answer Retirement Questions 
 
With the 2018 launch of the Blended Retirement System, more U.S. veterans have found themselves with options for retirement savings. From only 19% of servicemembers having some benefits (under the previous system), now 85% of all service members will receive some sort of retirement benefit.
 
But having options is not enough if choosing from them is a mystery. 
 
A recent government study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that there is a deficiency in financial literacy among service members. This creates a major obstacle for veterans to actually leverage the resources and tools before them. 
 
In a Stars and Stripes post, veterans studies research fellow Rebecca Burgess of the American Enterprise Institute spoke to this issue. She noted how consulting firms surveying military families consistently encounter financial literacy as an issue. 
 
“Veterans consistently say that they think they have enough mental health resources and know where and how to access those, but I’ve yet to see a survey Q&A that asked that same question about veterans and their awareness of available to them financial planning resources.”
 
While the military works on incorporating financial literacy programming into its training and support services, veterans need resources now. Fortunately, various public agencies and private companies have put together helpful materials to provide some clarity, not just on retirement but also on debt and taxes (important considerations along the way to retirement). We’ve listed some below in order to serve military veterans and their families.
 
It’s worth noting that a consultation with a professional financial advisor is always a good idea. But whether someone cannot afford it, or even if someone just wants to enter their appointment from an informed perspective, gaining as much knowledge as possible about financial options will help make the selection process more productive.

• Military Retirement – Compensation: Just in case you haven’t seen it, the DoD has a breakdown of the retirement portion of military compensation.
• Blended Retirement FAQs - Military OneSource, a part of the DoD, has a helpful section with frequently asked questions regarding the Blended Retirement System. 
• State Veterans’ Benefits – A state-by-state breakdown of local veterans’ benefits offered, including retirement options and financial resources.
• Kiplinger’s Top Financial Benefits for Vets – Not just limited to retirement, this list features a wide range of different types of financial benefits, including some that are mentioned less often in discussion.
• Veterans’ Benefits for Retirement & Security - Birch Gold Group’s list of veterans’ resources highlights the various problems commonly encountered by service members, and help offer some clarity on solutions that pave the way for retirement and financial security. 
• Financial Resources for Veterans in Debt – A list of resources to help with debt management, which can in turn free up more money for investing and other financial plans.
• Veterans’ Financial Coalition – The result of a collaboration among a range of financial organizations that seek to protect the financial and consumer needs of veterans.
• Tax Guide for Veterans – The Simple Dollar has a clear explanation of tax benefits as well as tips for filing, geared towards military veterans and their families.
• IRS Tax Guide for the Armed Forces – Straight from the Internal Revenue Service, here you can find the most up-to-date tax information. If something is unclear, consider searching for that term or phrase via Google, so you can start to find some alternative explanations.

By Brian Boyd

Between increased healthcare costs, help around the house, and long-term care, there’s a lot to pay for as a senior that you didn’t have to worry about when you were younger. Unfortunately, these new expenses come at the same time as you’re switching to a fixed income in retirement.
 
Financial planning is important for everyone approaching their senior years, but especially for veterans. There are a lot of valuable benefits available to U.S. veterans, but not every veteran qualifies for every benefit. If you don’t take advantage of the benefits available to you, or plan to receive a benefit only to discover you’re ineligible, you could face undue financial stress during the retirement years.
 
These are five veteran’s benefits you might not know about along with information on eligibility so you understand the resources at your disposal as a senior veteran.

VA Healthcare and TRICAREThe Veterans Health Administration provides low-cost healthcare at VA medical centers and clinics. Most veterans are eligible for VA health benefits, however, due to limited resources, veterans are subject to a priority groupsystem that affects their access to benefits. Veterans in the highest priority group receive priority for care and the lowest cost-sharing requirements, while low priority groups may face longer waits and higher costs for care. Veterans in the lowest priority groups may not be enrolled in the VA healthcare.
 
Veterans should know their priority group and what it means for their access to VA care. If you’re in a low priority group, most of your healthcare is likely to come from the private sector, not the VA. TRICARE offers some coverage for community-based care through its premium-free TRICARE for Life program, but only as a secondary insurer to Medicare. That means veterans receiving non-VA care need adequate Medicare coverage to reduce out-of-pocket costs. TRICARE for Life also lacks coverage for vision and dental. Veterans who want insurance coverage for these services should opt for a Medicare Advantage plan through a company such as Humana, which provides many additional benefits.

Aid and Attendance Pension Aid and Attendance is a monthly supplement to a veteran’s pension to help pay for long-term care services. Only veterans who receive a pension and require assistance with the activities of daily living or are visually impaired can receive Aid and Attendance.

Housebound PensionLike Aid and Attendance, housebound pension is a supplemental monthly pension provided to veterans with disabilities. Veterans who are confined to their residence due to disability may receive Housebound benefits. A veteran can’t receive both Aid and Attendance and Housebound payments.

Home Accessibility GrantsVeterans with disabilities have another great resource to help them live safely: housing grants. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers three grant programs to help veterans adapt an existing home or buy or build an accessible home.
 
Specially Adapted Housing grants and Special Housing Adaptation grants are available to veterans with service-connected disabilities, while the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations grant is open to veterans with service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities. Eligible veterans may receive both a HISA grant and an SHA or SAH grant.

Burial Benefits and AllowancesThese benefits help seniors cope with financial challenges during retirement, but what about end-of-life? Veterans benefits offer assistance here too, with burial allowances that defray the cost of funeral arrangements. Eligible veterans who choose a burial in a state or national veterans cemetery also receive a gravesite, headstone, grave opening and closing, and burial flag at no cost. Veterans buried in a private cemetery may also receive a free headstone and burial flag.
 
Veterans burial benefits don’t cover the cost of a funeralor memorial service, a casket, cremation, or other end-of-life services, so veterans should plan for these arrangements separately. Final expense insurance is a low-cost way to make up the difference and, depending on the size of the policy, can also be used to cover other outstanding debts. Veterans should plan what type of final arrangement they prefer in order to budget accordingly and purchase the right size insurance policy.
 
These benefits don’t cover every expense a veteran will face during the senior years. However, they do help aging veterans overcome the greatest financial challenges during retirement: affordable healthcare, accessible housing, long-term care, and an honorable exit from the world.
 
Image via Pixabay
​

The Military Dad: Dealing with Deployment
http://purplecrying.info/sub-pages/information-for-dads/the-military-dad-dealing-with-deployment.php

10 Financial Tips to Do Before You Deploy
http://www.sdflc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Financial-PreparationTips-Before-Deployment.pdf

Constant Contact: How Much Is Too Much During Deployments?
https://www.ausa.org/articles/how-much-contact-during-deployments

7 Medicare Facts Every Veteran Should Know
https://www.medicareadvantage.com/resources/medicare-for-veterans

You’ve Earned It: These Grants Can Help Disabled Veterans
https://www.veteransunited.com/futurehomeowners/youve-earned-it-these-grants-can-give-disabled-vets-a-hand/

The Veteran's Guide to Creating a Peaceful At-Home Atmosphere After Returning Home
https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/veterans-guide-to-creating-a-peaceful-home/

The Military Separation Guide for Active Duty Personnel: An Overview of What You Should Know Before You Leave Military Service 
http://www.vetsfirst.org/military-separation-guide/
​

Written by Jack Smith

Asbestos has been known to cause certain cancers such as Mesothelioma, lung cancer, and various other skin complications. Because of this realization, the use of asbestos materials ceased in the 1970’s in the United States of America. Unfortunately, not all asbestos materials have been recovered and disposed of properly. In addition, certain individuals including military veterans were exposed to the material for extensive periods of time causing a decline in health later in life.

For the benefit of military veterans, asbestos and its link to Mesothelioma will be examined below.

What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos can be comprised of one or more of the following fibrous materials: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. These fibers were highly prized in building materials because of their exceptional fire-resistance, high durability, and lack of breakdown when exposed to various chemicals. Until the mid 1970’s, asbestos materials were used abundantly in roofing shingles, floor tiles, ceiling materials, cement compounds, textile products, insulation, ships, vehicle repair, and building military equipment. Nearly every area, building, vehicle, and machine found in the military was rich with asbestos material. That is why the United States military veterans make up approximately 30% of Mesothelioma patients today.

What Is The FACT Act?
It is important to know what issues may arise when filing for compensation for an asbestos-related illness. The Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act, or FACT Act, is an anti-asbestos act that can keep victims suffering from asbestos related medical conditions from receiving the appropriate compensation. Under the FACT Act, military veterans with asbestos-related medical conditions like Mesothelioma are required to submit quarterly reports on the payouts that are made as well as personal identification on the individuals that received them. This information is then displayed on a public database. The FACT Act is a large deterrent for those seeking justice for their asbestos-related condition.

The FACT Act was first introduced in January 2015 and has been approved as of January 2016.

Why Are So Military Veterans Suffering From Asbestos-Related Illnesses?
As stated above, Military veterans make up approximately 30% of all Mesothelioma victims today. This is an astounding statistic because fewer than 10% of U.S. citizen have ever enlisted for and served in any branch of the U.S. military. Unfortunately, this is due to the high number of vehicles, building materials, construction, and heat-resistant equipment that was needed to function properly in the military. Veterans were exposed to these materials every day for long hours. The likelihood of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses increases as the level of exposure increases. While individuals working a variety of domestic jobs could take frequent breaks from their asbestos-filled environments, military veterans often could not.

Military veterans cannot go back and prevent their exposure to asbestos in the military environment. It is important that these American heroes are well-informed and well cared for should they be suffering from any asbestos-related illnesses. The information above is just a short insight into Mesothelioma and its link to Military veterans. For more information, check out this site.

Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are often treated with medication and psychotherapy. But a research survey at Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center is hoping to find out if spiritual therapy might be of interest as well.

Dr. Nagy Youssef, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at Augusta University who often treats PTSD, is conducting the survey through the VA in hopes it might show whether there is interest in exploring spirituality-based therapy. The research is being done in conjunction with the Durham VA and Duke University, he said.

Anywhere from 11-20 percent of those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD within a given year, compared to 12 percent who served during Desert Storm and 30 percent who served in the Vietnam War, according to the National Center for PTSD at the VA. Often patients are treated with medication, which can help reduce nightmares and flashbacks, and with psychotherapy to address the trauma. But about a third of those patients don’t respond to either approach, Youssef said. And those approaches do not address spirituality, he said.

“None of this addresses moral injury and inner conflict,” Youssef said. “Somebody goes to combat, seeing friends being killed and killing others. Spirituality can be affected. It might go against their moral beliefs. That’s hard to reconcile when they come back.”
Working with a colleague at Duke who is an expert in spirituality in medicine, Youssef was part of a big group that helped to put together manuals on every major religion that might be incorporated into therapy. The survey will not only ask about PTSD symptoms but about what role if any spirituality plays in the life of that veteran and gauge the interest in having that therapy available, he said.

Youssef is hoping to get about 125 veterans to take the survey by March and has already recruited about 40 or so. The hope in the future would be for a randomized control trial to compare current psychotherapy approaches with one that incorporates the spiritual element, he said. The therapy, he said, would be voluntary and incorporate the patient’s own religion and religious texts.

“For a Christian, for instance, it would be including verses from the Bible about forgiveness and that will help to relieve inner tension,” Youssef said.
It might help to address some of the problems with the current trauma-based therapy, he said. For instance, there is a high “drop rate” of patients who just don’t show up for it, Youssef said.

“People don’t come,” he said. “Perhaps they don’t think that addresses their beliefs. That’s what we are going to find out from that survey. If their beliefs are incorporated into the therapy, maybe they show up more for the psychotherapy.”
There may also be things that spiritual therapy can offer them that other treatment methods cannot.
​
“Some patients have feelings that God will never forgive me, that I am going to Hell no matter what I do,” Youssef said. “That cannot be addressed by therapy or medication. That means bringing them evidence, from the Bible or the Torah, whatever their religion is, that there is forgiveness. There is always a second chance.”
Reach Tom Corwin at (706) 823-3213
or tom.corwin@augustachronicle.com