MilitaryConnection.com

Follow us:

Newsletter - September 2013

Ask. Care. Take Action. These four words are the foundation of what we can do to reduce the alarming suicide rates that have been skyrocketing among the military and Veteran populations. Because September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, I would like to remind you to be aware of some of the suicide warning signs. They include depression, hopelessness, anxiety and agitation, irritability, and risky behavior. Also, look out for withdrawal from others, giving away treasured belongings, loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed, and substance abuse. Don’t be afraid to ask, “Are you thinking of killing yourself?” Offer care and compassion. Take action, and get the professional help that can literally save a life.

Best regards,

Debbie Gregory, CEO
MilitaryConnection.com

• Veterans Crisis Line
• Gary Sinise - Honorary Marine
• Featuring General Petraeus
• We are in Top 100!
• Jobs & More Jobs
• CalVet is Hiring!
• Join Golden Living
• Win Your Wedding Dress
• Over 200,000 Followers
• Women Veterans Lead the Way
• Access Premium Services
• Free Workshop - New Jersey
• Fisher House - DC/VA
• Veteran Retreat - California

• Your Post 9/11 GI Bill
• D'youville Values Veterans
• Contest - Interview WWII Veterans
• Shop & Support Military Families
• Lucky Dog
• Help a Military Spouse
• Latest & Greatest
• We Love Veteran Business Owners
• Cruising with Admiral Mullen
• Share Your Thoughts
• US Vets Magazine
• Hook, Line & Sinker
• Feature Your Company
• Tell a Friend

Suicide Prevention

Help IS Available - 800-273-8255

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is joining forces with a number of government agencies and private organizations to participate in Suicide Prevention Month activities. The VA’s Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring responders through a confidential toll-free hotline and online chat. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 or chat online to receive confidential support 24/7, 365 days a year. Talk about it. Find out how to get involved below. It matters. Because it’s a matter of life and death.

Well Deserved Honor

Hats Off to Gary!

Congratulations go out to our friend Gary Sinise, who has just been named an Honorary Marine! Marine Corps commandant Gen. James F. Amos said Sinise earned the recognition because of his efforts to support military Veterans. According to a Marine Corps press release, Sinise was “totally surprised” by the honor he received. “I’m humbled, shocked, moved and motivated to keep standing up for our men and women (in uniform) and giving back to them,” Sinise was reported as saying. Amos said he was “privileged and proud to recognize this humble patriot's selfless service by making him an Honorary Marine.” As our readers well know, Gary regularly performs with his band, The Lt. Dan Band, and also heads The Gary Sinise Foundation, which exists to honor “defenders, Veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need.”

Featuring General David Petraeus

National Conference on the State of Veterans' Issues

The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy invites you to attend a daylong conference examining the national and local efforts to address the complex challenges facing returning Veterans, including workforce reentry and homelessness. Engage with some of the leading experts in the field - Veterans and civilians alike – in this thought-provoking and solutions-focused day. The event will take place on October 8, 2013. Featured speakers include: Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, General David Petraeus, USA, Ret., USC Judge Widney Professor, Dr. Tommy Sowers, Asst. Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Peter Gravett, Secretary of Veteran Affairs, State of California. For more information, click here. To register, click here by October 1st.

We’re Honored!

MilitaryConnection.com Named as a Top 100 Employment Website

Military Connection.com is proud to announce that we have been designated by Weddle’s as a Top 100 Employment Website for the fifth year in a row! WEDDLE’s Research & Publishing specializes in all aspects of employment, from job search and career self-management to recruiting, sourcing and workforce management, and their guides have been described as the “Zagat” of the online employment services industry. The Top 100 is Peter Weddle’s personal pick of the 100 truly exceptional job boards and career portals out of the over 100,000 sites on the Web today. At MilitaryConnection.com, we want to help you find meaningful employment. To that end, we offer a multitude of tools to assist you, including our Job Board, our Virtual Job Fair, Live Job Fairs, resume writing tips, interviewing hints, a Skills Translator, Salary Calculator, and much, much more.

Jobs & More Jobs

Register Today!

Visit our Job Area - Check out our Job Board with thousands of jobs in many occupational areas. Register as a Job Seeker and upload your resume so that Employers can find you. You should also check out our Virtual Job Fair of top jobs, and all the valuable employment resources we provide.

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

CalVet is Hiring!

The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) is hiring! In addition to the 36 Veterans Claims Representatives (VCR) being hired to speed up the processing of benefits claims filed by California Veterans, CalVet has openings that run the gamut from analysts to cooks to engineers, and more! If you want to check out all of the openings, click here if you are already registered as a MilitaryConnection.com user or click here if you need to register. Once you are logged in, click on the CalVet link in the alphabetized listings to see what fantastic job opportunities await!

Featured Employer Valuing Your Military Experience

Join the Golden Living Family

Golden Living is a family of companies that specializes in post-acute and long-term healthcare. Your passion for service, your ethics, your dedication to excellence, it’s all been proven by your service. Those are the qualities they look for at Golden Living because those are the qualities shared by every member of their team. With six companies – Golden Living, Golden LivingCenters, Aegis Therapies, Aseracare, AlixaRx and 360 Healthcare Staffing – they’re able to offer career opportunities that fit almost anyone’s background or level of experience. Opportunities include: Nursing Home Administrator, Hospice Agency Executive Director, Clinical/Nursing, Certified Nursing Assistant, Pharmacy, Therapy, Medical Billing Collections, Sales, and IT. At Golden Living, they’re honored to offer you the opportunity to join their family.

Attention Brides-to-Be

Win your Wedding Dress

Whether the bride or the groom is active duty, retired, or a Veteran, you’re eligible to win a free wedding dress to make your day extra special! “All We Need Is Love” is a contest sponsored by David from Esquire Photography, in partnership with Shelly from Simply Bridal. You can submit your unique “love story” via written word, sent to David Esquire at info@esquirephotography.com or through a video submission that you can upload on YouTube-just let David know the link. David and Shelly will choose their favorite story, and Voila! The dress could be yours. Contest ends October 4th, 2013. And be sure to check out Esquire Photography’s substantial Military Discount.

Over 200,000 Combined Followers and Growing!

Between Military Connection followers on Twitter and the VAMBOA followers on Twitter, we now have over 200,000 followers! So if you want to keep current in-between newsletters or find out the latest on news that affects Veteran Business Owners, "Like" us on Facebook and join Military Connection and VAMBOA on Twitter!

Attention: Women Veterans

CalVet Keynote Speaker Announced

The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) has announced that former U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot and Intelligence Operations Officer Lea Sutton will be the keynote speaker at the California Women Veterans Leadership Conference. The conference, which will provide information and resources encouraging and empowering women Veterans, will be held in San Diego September 25-27, 2013. Sutton, who flew F/A-18s in Iraq and Afghanistan and was embedded with a Navy SEAL unit conducting international intelligence operations in Afghanistan, is now the military reporter for the NBC 7 San Diego News Team. Ms. Sutton will speak at the opening of the conference on September 25. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about their Veteran benefits, file disability claims and speak with Veteran service organizations and service providers at more than 40 information tables. For more information, click here.

Become a
MilitaryConnection.com User

Access Premium Services - Complimentary

MilitaryConnection.com offers thousands of pages of resources and information for our users. There is something for everyone, including our newsletter, full of valuable and timely information, the Job Board, our Directory of Scholarships, our Employer Directory and more. Sign Up Now.

New Jersey Veterans

Attend This Free Workshop

Johnson & Johnson , Ernst & Young, and Citigroup are partnering with the GI Go Fund and hosting the 3rd Military Veterans Career Transition and Skills Development Workshop. It's being held on Saturday, September 28, 2013 at Johnson & Johnson's Headquarters from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM and lunch will be provided. The day will includes company reps working with Veterans to help them translate their military experiences into a civilian career. More specifically, the day will include resume writing workshops, interview skills and coaching sessions, as well as a chance for attendees to listen to successfully transitioned Veterans share their success stories and advice. Open to the first 200 Veterans who register here.

Attention: DC/VA Residents

Join Team Fisher House

Team Fisher House is recruiting volunteers to support their fundraising teams at the Army Ten-Miler (10/20 - Washington, DC) and Marine Corps Marathon (10/27 - Arlington, VA). Volunteers truly are the heart and soul of Team Fisher House. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to join their team of Champions for Military Families - Register as a volunteer TODAY and claim your volunteer shirt, cow hat and cowbell! MilitaryConnection.com is a proud sponsor of Team Fisher House.

Now Accepting Applications

Santa Rosa, CA Retreat for Veterans and their Families

Single Veterans and Service Members, or Veterans and Servicemembers along with their families (spouses/partners, teens 13 and up) are eligible for the Coming Home Project’s November retreat. Join other Veterans and families in support of one another, sharing stories and experiences. Learn stress management and communication skills while you reconnect with family members, peers, and yourself, all in a peaceful setting. Career development, job search skills, translating military skills into civilian settings, interviewing, and a Mini-job fair are also part of the retreat. Space is limited, so apply early! Lodging, meals and program are at no cost.

Benefits You Earned

Your Post 9/11 GI Bill covers

• Tuition & Fees
• Monthly Tax Free Housing Allowance
• Up to $1000 Annual Stipend for books & supplies
• Register for benefits
• More

Proud Yellow Ribbon School

Achieve Your Educational Goals

D’Youville College is extremely Veteran friendly. In addition to the educational benefits provided through the VA, state VTAP, and tuition-assistance via the military, D’Youville goes above and beyond with both a 50% Veterans waiver and a 20% Veterans dependent waiver. This proud Yellow Ribbon School also provides deferred billing, book vouchers, and a Veteran-Student Emergency Fund to assist student- Veterans/dependents who face an unexpected financial crisis. Their Veterans Affairs Office sponsors a chapter of the Student Veterans of America Association on campus. Additionally, D’Youville provides not only a dedicated computer room, but also a lounge, complete with free coffee, tea and hot cocoa, for their student-veterans/dependents. They have mentoring and tutoring services for student-veterans, and operate a VA Work Study Program on campus for student-veterans and their dependents. For more information on how D’Youville can help you achieve your educational goals, click here.

Video Contest for Teens

Interview WWII Veterans!

Do you know someone who served in World War II? Did you know that there are 1.2 million WWII Veterans still living? However, time is running out to hear their stories of bravery and sacrifice that help define our country. The iHistory WW2 video contest is a national competition to inspire teen filmmakers to capture these stories on film. Aspiring young American filmmakers (ages 13-18) have the opportunity to hear and record these stories firsthand, make a mini-documentary, and win coveted prizes for themselves and their school. The total value of combined prizes is over $11,000. iHistory WW2 is working with the Library of Congress to preserve the interviews in their archives. To view their flyer, Click Here. For details about the contest and the Official Rules please visit: Heroes-ww2.org.

Shop and Help

Your Rewards Card Can Help Military Families

Effective now through August 31, 2014, the Ralphs Community Contribution Program will give away $2.5 Million to non-profit organizations in the communities it serves. Our friends at Homefront America are one of the program's beneficiaries. If you shop at Ralphs, just log in to their website and register for an account. You can link your rewards card here. In the “edit my community contribution box” enter Homefront America or 90325 for the organization. That’s it! A few minutes of time is all it takes.

Lucky Dog

You’ll Both Be Lucky

If you are dynamic and engaging, and looking to adopt a dog, there’s a new television series that is looking for you! Perhaps you are a Veteran who needs a service dog, or just desire the companionship of a dog to complete your family. Or perhaps you have a special needs child who could benefit from having a new best friend. If you think you are a good match to share your home and a whole lot of love with a four-legged addition to your family, email us at info@militaryconnection.com. Dogs will be rescued from local shelters and fully trained by renowned dog trainer Brandon McMillan before being placed. Grooming, vet services and food will be provided for one year.

Take Part

Looking for Volunteer Families

The Military Child and Family Deployment Experiences Study is a dissertation study designed to investigate the experiences of military children and their families, especially those influenced by technological communication and media, throughout deployment. The online study is being conducted by Army Spouse Rebecca Goodney, a doctoral student at the University of Kentucky School Psychology Program. If you would like to participate, and you’re an active duty military family, with a child between the ages of 8-12, with either a currently deployed parent or one who has been deployed within the past year, please email Rebecca Goodney for more information.

In the News Now

Check Out Our Blog - Latest and Greatest

The MilitaryConnection.com blog tackles some of the stories that are in the forefront of military news. With the top stories found on our homepage, the blog gives you the opportunity to state your opinion and interact with other users. We hope you will feel that the blog is provided as a service to our users, and participate by commenting on the stories you feel strongly about.

Complimentary Membership

Veteran Business Owners

VAMBOA is a non-profit trade association working to ensure the development, growth and prosperity of Veteran Owned Businesses, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOB) and Military Businesses of all sizes. VAMBOA serves the needs of the Veteran and military business communities by uniting Veteran and military business owners for collaboration, connections and contracts with both private corporations and government agencies. Join today and take the survey to let us know what issues are important to you. Membership is Free! You have honorably served our nation. VAMBOA is here to serve you and be your voice.

Care to Cruise for a Cause?

A Little R&R with Admiral Mullen & General Casey

Our friends at Government Vacation Rewards invite you to support our nation’s Veterans while “getting away from it all”! Princess Cruises is launching their first fundraising sailing, Cruise for a Cause, benefiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and Operation Homefront. The four day cruise departs November 5th from Houston, TX and sails to the Western Caribbean. For more information, call 866 691-5109 or visit them on the web.

Share Your Thoughts

The Military Connection Writers’ Circle

Do you have something you’re passionate about, or want to let others know about your program or how you are making a difference? If you love to write, we invite you to participate in the MilitaryConnection.com Writers’ Circle. The Writers’ Circle features guest writers who want to share their thoughts, deeds and ideas with our audience. To be included, your article must be 300-600 words of original content, not copy written, and non-political. We will put articles in the Writers’ Circle on our web site, as well as feature some of them in upcoming newsletters. For admission consideration, email your article to info@militaryconnection.com

Good Read

In the Know

U.S. Veterans Magazine (USVM) provides transitioning service members, Veterans and their families with valuable information and resources. Every issue includes up-to-date statistics on legislation, career, starting and owning your own business, the value of certification, pursuing higher education, financial news, health and wellness information, intriguing features on Veterans and the latest news and reviews. They also highlight and feature Veterans who have overcome the challenges of transition, celebrities who are championing and speaking on behalf of Veterans and companies and organizations that go out of their way to assist our nation’s heroes. USVM attends and distributes its magazine to many Veteran, diversity, and business trade shows and conventions, and is dedicated to promoting the advancement of all Veterans and those who proudly served our country. USVM is one publication in a trio of diversity-focused magazines: providing the latest, most important minority-focused news covering virtually every industry, business, and profession.

Hook, Line & Sinker

A Little R&R on the Water

Flyin’ Heroes is a program that utilizes the sport of fly fishing to promote therapeutic growth and rehabilitation of U.S. military Veterans. The goal of Flyin’ Heroes is to create memorable fly fishing experiences that unlock the healing power of the water and foster lasting relationships. Fishing is simply the tool that allows us to connect with our local community of Veterans. Our program focuses on the importance of creating lasting relationships and life long memories on the river. Flyin’ Heroes utilizes free individualized personal trips which are used to empower and inspire Veterans to make positive gains towards mental health and living productive, fulfilling lives. Flyin’ Heroes sets itself apart from other organizations by including all former Veterans of any branch, any era. To learn more about Flyin’ Heroes and the healing attributes fly fishing offers, please visit FlyinHeroes.org

Special Discounts

Your Company Featured on MilitaryConnection.com

Reach Active Duty Military, Guard and Reservists, Veterans and Military Spouses with jobs, educational opportunities, and excellent products and services. For more information, click here.

Tell a friend...

If you know someone who would like to receive our newsletters, you can refer them to our registration page: Military Connection Premium Services to be added to our mailing list and be able to access all premium areas of MilitaryConnection.com.