How to Identify Suicide Risk and Help a Veteran in Need

A veteran commits suicide every 80 minutes, according to a study cited by the Huffington Post. In response to continually high rates of depression and suicide among veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs has announced expansions to its crisis line services.

The crisis line gives veterans (and the veteran's family and friends) confidential access to a concerned and qualified responder. These responders are professionals who have been trained to help veterans of all ages and circumstances who are in emotional distress. In its five years of operation, the Veteran's Crisis Line has helped more than half a million veterans. More than 18,000 life-saving rescues have resulted from use of its services.

There are three ways to contact the Veteran's Crisis Line:

1. Call the toll-free hot line at 1-800-273-8255. Press 1.
2. Send a text message to 838255.
3. Chat online.

All three of these services are available 24/7/365 to assist veterans and their friends and family.

Even if you don't think that you or your veteran are depressed or at risk of suicide, it is always wise to know the symptoms of depression and the signs of suicide risk. If you are or know a veteran who is showing ANY warning signs, you are strongly encouraged to contact the Veteran's Crisis Line immediately.

Signs of depression/suicide risk include:

• Chronic sadness and clinical depression
• Loss of interest in activities including hobbies, work, school, etc.
• Trouble sleeping and eating that doesn't go away or gets continually worse
• Anxiety
• Self-neglect
• Withdrawing from people and activities
• Sleeping all the time
• Frequent/dramatic mood swings
• Excessive guilt or shame, feelings of failure
• Hopelessness
• Acting like they have a "death wish" (engaging in risky or reckless behavior)
• Violent behavior and uncontrolled anger
• Giving away treasured possessions, making a will, putting affairs in order

If you are unsure if you or your veteran really needs help, the VA also offers a confidential self-check quiz that can help evaluate your condition.

Veteran suicide is a very serious issue and should never be taken lightly. Do not ignore the warning signs, because once suicide happens it's too late.

The VA Gave Ancestry.com the SSNs of 2,200+ Veterans -- Were You Affected?

More than 2,200 veterans are eligible for free credit monitoring services after the VA mistakenly released tehir social security numbers to Ancestry.com following a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Under the FOIA law, the VA is required to release information about deceased veterans. This information includes the veteran's name, social security number, date of birth, military branch assignments and more.

Somehow, information about more than 2,200 living veterans was included with the requested information about deceased veterans. No health-related information was provided to Ancestry.com.

This information was provided to Ancestry.com on March 18, 2011 and posted on that site on December 13, 2011. When the errors were discovered, the information was promptly removed.

Veterans who believe they may have been affected can verify this information by writing to:

ATTN: Garnett Best
The Department of Veterans Affairs, OIT Privacy Officer (005R1A)
810 Vermont Ave. NW
Washington DC 20420

Veterans can also request a free credit report by calling 1-877-322-8228 or on http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.

New Site Offers Job Opportunities, Benefits Advice and More to Veterans & Servicemembers

Connect with other veterans and veteran supporters on the new veteran portal at VeteranCentral.com. This site gives users access to a social media network, job bank, and "buy veteran" PX.

Veteran Central was created in response to the dramatic suicide rates among US servicemembers and veterans. The goal of the site is to connect servicemembers and veterans with a support network. According to the About Us page, the purpose of Veteran Central is "to develop a one stop support structure that would centralize efforts to alleviate these challenges including: improving community support, providing Veterans employment opportunities, and collecting programs and services from across the government and private sectors in one, easy to access location."

Sign up at VeteranCentral today to connect with these wonderful resources.

Chaplains Protect Veteran's Religious Freedoms

Veterans have access to hospital chaplains at VA medical facilities. Although many veterans may be unfamiliar with this service, chaplains exist to ensure that all veterans have access to 'clinical pastoral care' and that inpatient veterans have their right to free exercise of religion protected. The chaplains also ensure that the veterans do not have religion imposed on them.

Chaplains are available every hour of every day in every VA medical center. They can help you contact members of your local clergy. They can also help you find the chapel or meditation room in the medical center or provide you with spiritual/religious literature at your request.

Every veteran has the choice to see a chaplain or not. Inpatients at a VA medical facility are usually visited by a chaplain during their stay, but these visits can be avoided if the veteran indicates that they do not want one.

You can learn about the history of VA chaplains, as well as find your local chaplain, on the VA National Chaplain Center Home.

USA Together Helps Veterans Pay Their Bills

If you are a veteran (or know a veteran) who is struggling in this economy, there is hope. Several organizations exist to help veterans in their time of crisis and need.

One of these organizations is "USA Together."

USA Together matches veterans in need with people who want to help. Although the site does not and cannot guarantee that every need will be met, USA Together does have a tremendous success rate. "Virtually all requests" have been met--sometimes within just a few hours of posting.

To qualify for help, veterans must be a current or honorably discharged member of any branch of the military and have a documented and verifiable service-connected disability. Evidence of this must be submitted before the help request will be met. Relatives of servicemembers killed in action may also qualify. USA Together pays bills directly to the person you owe, so be prepared to offer them that information as well.

In today's economy, everyone is struggling. Veterans seem to be the hardest hit--especially young and female veterans. Check out these unemployment statistics from the end of 2011.

Unemployment rate for veterans 18-24 years old: 33.2%
Unemployment rate for civilians 18-24 years old: 14.9%
Unemployment rate for female veterans: 16.8%
Unemployment rate for female civilians: 7.8%\
(Statistics taken from this article.)

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be discussing other charitable organizations that help veterans. If you have a specific need or question, please let me know in the comments and I will help connect you with the resources you need.

Your Senator Can Help You with Your VA Claim

Hello readers, we're back!
I know it's been a long time since I've updated and I sincerely apologize. Posting should resume it's normal schedule now that we've entered the New Year and things are settling down after the holiday rush.

If you have a claim open with the Department of Veteran's Affairs right now, you've probably realized that it is taking a really, really long time to process. You aren't alone. We submitted a claim for an additional dependent a year ago and we are still waiting on a decision.

In November, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Patty Murray sent a letter to the Department of the VA Secretary urging the VA to address the extreme backlog facing the VA. The content of that letter can be found here.

Veterans who are currently waiting for a decision from the VA can contact a Senator from their home state for help. Each Senator has professionals on staff to assist constituents with the VA process. You can find your Senator's contact information here. To see if your Senator is currently serving on the Senate Committee on Veteran's Affairs, view the membership list.

If you have an open claim, how long have you been waiting?

The Crisis Line: A 24/7 Service

Good morning!

Last week was National Suicide Prevention week. Although I am late in sharing this information, I hope that it may be useful to you if/when you need it.

The Army Times estimates that 18 veterans commit suicide each and every day. This is such a tragedy! Each and every life has meaning, and there is hope for each and every veteran.

If you or a veteran you know is ever struggling with severe depression, thoughts of suicide or severely harming oneself or others, please call  the VA’s Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. This will connect you with friendly, helpful people who will do everything they can to help you. Don’t suffer alone—please, please call the wonderful people at the VA Crisis Line who can help you through your times of struggle. They are trained and experienced in assisting veterans. Since 2007, the Crisis Line has answered approximately 500,000 calls and made more than 16,000 rescues.

Another way to connect with the VA Crisis Line is through their 24/7 online chat.

Here are some warning signs that may warrant a call to the crisis line:

·         Hopelessness

·         Anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness, mood swings

·         Feeling like there’s no reason to live

·         Rage, anger

·         Thoughtlessly engaging in risky activities

·         Increasing alcohol/drug use

·         Withdrawing socially

If you notice any of the following signs, call the line immediately.

·         Thinking about hurting/killing yourself

·         Looking for ways to kill yourself

·         Talking about death, dying or suicide

·         Self-destructive behavior

You do not have to be a veteran to call on behalf of a veteran. Friends and family members are encouraged to call.

For more information, check out this link.

Do you have any questions, comments or concerns about the Crisis Line, or anything else? Please leave a comment below!

Veteran's Service Organizations: An Introduction

Good morning!

Filing a claim with the VA can be a headache and a half. There are lots of forms to fill out and evidence to provide. It can be very intimidating and very, very frustrating. Fortunately, there are organizations that exist to help you with that process—and they’re free.

These organizations are called "Veteran Service Organizations" or VSOs. There are many different VSOs to choose from. They include Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Legion, etc.

Getting help from a VSO is as easy as visiting the office. When the VSO helps you, they will file a form that informs the VA that they are now representing you. Any interaction you have with the VA will then occur through the VSO. They will help you file the forms to file your claim and will inform you of any further requirements you need to fill, such as providing evidence. If your claim is denied, they will also help you appeal and, if necessary, assist you with a hearing.

VSOs are a wonderful resource for veterans and they are free, so that every veteran can use them. If you haven’t already, I strongly recommend that you choose one and visit their office. My husband is represented by the DAV and they have been very helpful to us. They filed our very first claim and have helped us file additional claims and appeals. They have informed us of programs we weren't aware existed, and have given us valuable advice.

In future posts, I will share more information on the different VSOs and the services they provide.

Share your experiences! Are you represented by a VSO? Which one? If not, why not? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.