How Family Members Can Support a Clean and Sober Lifestyle for Their Returning Vet By Anna Ciulla A loved one who returns home from active military service is often not the same person they once were, having witnessed and experienced traumatic events the likes of which can be hard to fathom. This new reality can be difficult to adjust to—not just for the returning service person but for their immediate family, who naturally wonder how they can help their loved one make a smooth and healthy transition back to civilian life. In this period of re-acclimating to civilian life, it’s important to keep in mind that returning vets are more vulnerable to substance abuse and self-medicating with drugs and alcohol, due to various factors: Chronic or acute pain from one or more war-related injuries Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),

How a Veteran Can Heal from Traumatic Memories By Anna Ciulla An experience of active combat can be incredibly traumatic, which is why there is such a high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the veteran population. These less visible battle scars—the traumatic memories, flashbacks and other symptoms that can cause daily torment long after active duty has ended—are a reminder of the great sacrifice that fighting to defend our country entails. But that sacrifice doesn’t have to take a lifetime toll. There are ways to cope with and ultimately go on to overcome traumatic memories that any vet can benefit from knowing about: Trauma-Focused Psychotherapies—in particular, Eye Movement Densensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), and Cognitive Processing Therapy—have helped a significant proportion of people with PTSD find healing. In fact, a handy “Treatment Comparison Sheet” from the U.S.

Giving wounded heroes ("Sheep Dogs") a new outlook on life Military veterans and first responders, who we refer to as “Sheep Dogs,” have an innate need to serve and help those around them. At Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (www.sheepdogia.org), we recognize this and strive to provide continued service opportunities that offer the physical challenges and camaraderie that is often missing after a shift or tour of duty ends. We do this through three major programs: Disaster Response Missions, Outdoor Adventures and Holiday Assistance. Through our Outdoor Adventure Program, Sheep dogs that have been injured in the line of duty are provided with meaningful and impactful experiences which help them reengage in a healthy lifestyle and improve their well being. Through this program Army Specialist Scott West was sponsored to participate in one of our skydiving adventures. A Life of Recovery

The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center works diligently to support elderly veterans By: Yvonne Napolitano, Executive Director The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center (SJRC) is located in rural, Prescott Valley, AZ. SJRC is the only adult day health program in northern AZ and is just one program of more than 5000 adult day health centers across the nation. SJRC provides therapeutic, personalized care services for those having varying chronic illnesses and disabilities including but not limited to, Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia, diabetes, physical/cognitive impairments like traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, developmental disabilities, and mental illnesses. SJRC is proud to be serving veterans which are approximately 50% of its daily attendees. Thanks to the late founding SJRC Executive Director Susan J. Rheem (1947-2010) and her advocacy efforts at the national level in the 1980’s,

Institute for Career Development Discusses Veterans' Need for Job Training  One hundred years ago, ICD launched a first-of-its-kind center to rehabilitate returning WWI veterans with service-related disabilities.  Three years ago, we saw that a new approach was needed to meet the needs of today’s veterans, particularly those serving in the military post-9/11.  Since then, ICD’s Veterans for Employment (VFE) program has helped hundreds of veterans with diverse skills, experiences, and interests start satisfying careers. Our staff coaches veterans on writing resumes, searching for jobs, interviewing and other integral career skills. Most importantly, the staff goes the extra mile to meet each veteran where they are and to tailor services accordingly, connecting each veteran to the resources that work for them. In today’s complex employment environment, professional networking can be the key to finding the right job and getting promotions.  Yet,