May 29,
2012
Pastorgraphs: “VETS”
Against the backdrop of Memorial
Day, it is perfect timing to welcome the newest member of the Christ Ministry
Center family: VETS. I know the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans
Day; but wouldn’t it be nice if we “remembered” our service men and women while
they are still with us!
Veterans
Experiencing Transitional Success
(VETS) is a non-profit organization designed to help military veterans make a
successful transition from military to civilian life. Mr. Tony Holston
and Ms. Melody Ibarra founded VETS to help veterans with life skills, vocational
training, promoting employment, fighting homelessness, and dealing with
the social issues that accompany reentering civilian life.
With 100,000 service men and women
coming home from Afghanistan in the next two years, the need could not be greater.
Plus, there are so many veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq who still
need support.
I did my own research (www.care2.com) and found the following facts
facing today’s Veterans:
“Veteran unemployment is nearly
twice the national average.
Young Veterans who joined the military after high school and went off to war
are at a disadvantage when competing for civilian jobs with peers who didn’t
serve. Vets often don’t have easily translatable civilian skills, nor do
they have the network of civilian business and social contacts that other young
people have. Unless they apply with companies who place a priority on hiring
Veterans, they are in a tough spot competing with other job seekers.
One out of every three Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans suffers from PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or a
combination of the two due to combat trauma. Upon returning home, our troops are not receiving
proper medical and psychological evaluation or counseling. It’s up to them to seek
the help they need and often this help is not easy to find or to access.
There is a backlog of 1.2 million
claims at the Veterans Administration.
The VA application process remains complicated and adversarial. Veterans are
not automatically enrolled in the VA, as many people think, when they finish
their military service. They need help finding VA facilities, completing
complicated applications, managing the application process and appealing
rejected claims. Many Veterans who are disabled and unable to work due to war
trauma are waiting months and years for benefits they were promised and have
earned. This results in many Vets with significant financial problems that can
end up homeless or worse.
A third of all homeless citizens in America are Veterans. Due to many of the factors
discussed here, Veterans with distinguished, even heroic, military records are
ending up living on the streets. Because of untreated PTSD or TBI and
self-medication with drugs and alcohol, many Veterans are finding themselves in
conflict with the criminal justice system. Special Veterans Courts are the
appropriate response to these problems. These courts take into consideration a
Vet’s military service and the war experiences and lack of readjustment
services that cause them to engage in anti-social behaviors. Veterans’
courts focus on treatment and rehabilitation rather than jail time.
Unfortunately, only a handful of these courts exist in the U.S.”
There are few things on which almost everyone agrees today; but honoring and serving our veterans is one common issue that unites us all.
There are few things on which almost everyone agrees today; but honoring and serving our veterans is one common issue that unites us all.
Please pray for VETS as they gear up
to meet these important needs of those who put their lives on the line for our
freedoms. You may learn more about VETS at their website: www.transition4vets.org .
Welcome VETS to Christ Ministry
Center!
Bless you, each and every one, Brother
Bill
From the Quote Garden
“In war, there are no unwounded
soldiers.”
~José Narosky
Christ United Methodist Ministry
Center
“Christ
in the Heart of San Diego”
3295 Meade
Avenue - San Diego, CA 92116 - (619) 284-9205
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