Veteran Doctor

The Veteran Doctor - Episode 29 - Change Your Perspective, Change Your Life!

Sometimes, It's All About Perspective! Everybody experiences life in their way. They experience their highs and lows. Their challenges are unique to them, and what may be hard for one person may be nothing to another person. Why is that? Because it is all about perspective. Some people have experienced more challenges than others, making it a more regular occurrence for them, or many people take a more positive perspective on challenges to get them through.

So, I could talk about all my challenges and how I overcame them, but that would not fit into everybody's life and circumstances. The biggest thing is not the feel sorry for yourself. Be happy and peaceful with everything. I feel sorry for those who have it all and still cannot be satisfied. Remember, life is only 10% about what happens to you and 90% of how you react because it is all about perspective. It's your attitude rather than aptitude that determines your altitude. 

Changing your Perspective can Change your Life

Sometimes, It's All About Perspective! Everybody experiences life in their way. They experience their highs and lows. Their challenges are unique to them, and what may be hard for one person may be nothing to another person. Why is that? Because it is all about perspective. Some people have experienced more challenges than others, making it a more regular occurrence for them, or many people take a more positive perspective on challenges to get them through.

So, I could talk about all my challenges and how I overcame them, but that would not fit into everybody's life and circumstances. The biggest thing is not the feel sorry for yourself. Be happy and peaceful with everything. I feel sorry for those who have it all and still cannot be satisfied. Remember, life is only 10% about what happens to you and 90% of how you react because it is all about perspective. It's your attitude rather than aptitude that determines your altitude. 

Changing your Perspective can Change your Life

Life is a classic battle between "what we see" and "how we interpret" those things around us. Ironically, it is our surroundings around us that should not define us. Their presence should help define our essence. We are always caught up in this existential crisis. We are essentially a product of perception and perspective. This spiritual-scientific debate will never be determined. There is a finite distinction between looking at things and seeing things as they are. Unfortunately, our mind is confused, and we keep dabbling with so many complex thoughts that the simple things in life go unnoticed. If we see problems as an issue, then life continues to be riddled with problems. There is a multiplier effect negatively. We will find ourselves neck-deep in a multitude of problems. However, if we see a problem as opportunities in life, life is filled with fascinating choices. 

The choice is ours. Our choices in life make the most significant difference. The small steps that we take will help cover the travels in our life. These choices come in different shades when we learn how to nurture our perspectives. People look at it differently, producing happiness at different levels. Hence some people are successful, while others are unsuccessful.

Energy and Matter may appear the same; however, you must look at them differently. Albert Einstein's perspective on this presented the famous equation that redefined the way we perceive the world. The world subsequently has developed a different perspective in seeing things.

Every day, we wake up and perceive each day as another day that we must go through the same routine that we usually hate to do. We term it providence. The day usually turns out to be the same. However, try to wake up and see the day differently and as a lovely day. The idea is to see it in a positive and bright light of life to be treasured in our perspective. And it is not a defined skill, not a specific knowledge, tool, or technique that we must acquire with education. It is a subtle, simple shift in how we look at things, paying attention to the simple little outlook towards life. 

Our perspectives change in the world depending on where we are sitting, depending on whether we are looking from the outside or the inside. It also depends on what perspective of life we are in, from our highs to our lows. 

Developing the ability to maintain stability in such disequilibrium of life. This process will help nurture a different perspective. When we go on vacation, life suddenly appears different, attributed to the other perspective we hold. Many argue that location will change perspective, which is only one such facet. Although, perspective can be altered if the location does not change, and everything remains the same. It is the way we perceive those same things differently. Perspective is an art in seeing things differently. It is from the position of where we look at it from an angle with emotion and empathy. This thought is driven by a sense of purpose, inspiration, and determination. 

When we are focused, our perspective is very different than when our minds are distracted. When our minds have negative thoughts, everything around us tastes bitter. When we think positively, everything tastes sweeter. When we look at problems with agony, we experience anguish. When we look at similar issues with enthusiasm, we experience joy. The joy of discovering new solutions is so incredible. It is purely a change in our perspective…

It is the affirmation that we make for ourselves that truly matters. If we affirm our happiness and everything will be fine, and it usually ends up that way. Being positive and sharing those words of encouragement makes us courageous. The fortitude conquers new frontiers. 

Changing your perspective is not easy! The appearance can be deceptive. There is a way to manage this deception. Care must be taken to change perspective, and lots of courage and a good amount of effort are needed. There is no quick-fix solution. The mind needs to be reconditioned and trained. Our perspectives are hidden in our brains right next to our hopes and dreams. We just need to recognize and nurture those thoughts through multiple facets of life. 

Hope is what gives us faith. Dreams are what we drive and take us to that magical world. This does not require any material resources or physical strength. It purely resides in the eyes and minds that we have developed over time. 

Is the goal in my life to survive or strive? This is a perspective that will develop and define you! If we will ourselves to survive, then we will only survive. If we prefer to strive, we will strive for what we want to achieve. The question "can I" or "will I" to "I can" and "I will" is not merely a shift a word arrangement; it is a significant uplifting in thought and determination. 

One of our most powerful possessions in life is perspective, as it empowers us to develop a positive outlook on life. However, we get intimidated when we get pushed into a corner, tested, humiliated. We can easily fall apart from these outcomes. The perspective we are pushed to carry can simply shift that perspective by remaining determined and not overwhelmed. 

I choose to act and not react. It is better to choose to remain positive by not becoming affected by any negativity.

Too many of us become cocooned, tentative, reserved and entangled. We need to break free with a profound perspective of choice. The choice is ours as to whether we want to enjoy life how it comes to us or force life to come the way we want it to go. 

Life is all about playing with risk. The most significant risk in life is by taking no risk at all. We must take the risk, or life will take that risk for us and have no choice. The choice is ours! That perspective will develop how to choose things, making a huge difference in our life. Every choice may not bring the same outcome, but that should not stop us from exercising our perspective on choosing different life outcomes.

The choice is the perspective. 

We can always determine to be happy when we finally reach our destination, or we can be satisfied along the journey. Happiness can occur in every small thing that we do, or we can keep our happiness confined until we get to those big goals. The choice is ours, and it is based on perspective. When facing challenging times, the only thing that protects us is perspective. If we nurture the proper perspective, it will and completely changes the way we look at life.   

Our perspective in life is a daily affair. Our lives continually keep moving. The way things are in our life keep changing. We celebrate triumphs. We get challenged. We get frustrated. We get dejected. We get desperate. Should we let negative things in our lives control our perspectives? If we do, we will be stuck in a vicious cycle of life. It adds to our cynicism. We will continue to be skeptical in whatever we do. We will be wrapped into a depression. 

This will continue until we change our perspective. The world is never the way it appears; it is always the way we interpret it. Color is merely the wavelength of the light that gets reflected. Color and Light are a perspective in life…Think positive, shift from the plank of negativity. Develop a new attitude through gratitude. Gravitate from the smaller things and look at life with a bigger lens. Nothing lasts forever. Life flows, and you can direct this flow in the direction you want to travel. Ultimately things in life finally boil down to putting things in the proper and positive perspective. My life has not been easy, but I choose to be happy no matter what it throws at me has allowed me to prosper no matter what. I am happy where I have been because I have always stayed positive and believed.

Veteran Doctor - Episode 28 - It’s Never Too Early Or Late — Start Investing for Retirement Now!

It’s Never Too Early Or Late — Start Investing for Retirement Now!

“Time is money.” — Benjamin Franklin

Although Benjamin Franklin may not have been referring to the effect that time has on money accumulating in an IRA, his words hold true with today’s investors. That is because time becomes one of the best allies for investors. But even if you did not start investing in your plan until later in life, there is another old saying that also holds true — “Better late than never.”

THREE FEATURES OF EMPLOYER RETIREMENT PLANS.

No matter where you are financially in your life or how much you already have in your retirement account, your employer’s retirement plan may have features that could help build your nest egg.

First, the advantage of compounding interest and tax-free earnings until withdrawal. Second, matching employer contributions. Third, the multiple choices of different funds to develop your financial plan.

The earlier you can put all these elements into effect, the better your financial future will be. For example, if you start at the age of 25 years old. Even if you do not have much income to spare, the smallest contribution could grow into something meaningful by retirement. For example, a two percent contribution from a $25,000 annual salary is just about $10 out of your weekly paycheck. If you increase your contribution by just two percent each year until you reach the maximum the company allows, for example, ten percent, and earn a ten percent return on your investments, you will have $1,437,543 by age 65.

INVESTING CAN BEGIN AT 40

So, many of you may not have had the good fortune of being able to start building financial nest eggs at such a young age. So, what happens when you turn 40 and realize you have not saved anything for retirement? Do not panic! You can still catch up, but you may need to push on the accelerator a little bit.

Initially, you will need to start contributing as much as possible to your plan, starting at five percent and increasing it two percent each year until you reach the maximum allotted by your company. Additionally, it will help invest in more aggressive funds, like stock funds, subject to short-term volatility but have historically generated higher long-term returns.

HOW YOUR SAVINGS COULD GROW

For people who start saving at age 40 and save steadily until age 65, it is still possible to accumulate a significant nest egg. So whether you are fresh out of college, approaching retirement, or somewhere in between, the best time to take advantage of your employer retirement plan is now!

How to catch up for starting late saving for retirement

Some people take more significant risks in the attempt to get bigger returns. But there is a more straightforward, more prudent way.

Many reasons explain why older Americans are financially ill-prepared for retirement. 

Many people did not make enough money to set aside for their later years. Others experienced bad luck in their careers, poor financial role models, unhealthy personal-finance habits, or had did not have the proper knowledge on good money management. 

Many Americans place other spending priorities ahead of financial retirement. Statistics show that only 43 percent of American workers participate in a retirement savings plan. Many people regret they did not start saving younger in life, forfeiting the vast compounding benefits.

Another example of compounding interest is displayed when a 25-year-old puts $10,000 in a stock index fund and only adds $500 a month until age 65; he or she would get $2.34 million. Thus, the 9 percent long-term historical average annual gain for U.S. stocks would compound over four decades, with only a total of $250,000 investment.   

Late starting investors can take riskier approaches in their investment portfolios by looking at technology stocks — taking you to your goal quicker. However, focusing on saving rather than investing as you get older may be the more prudent and practical choice.

As mentioned earlier, compounding investment returns over long periods is a surefire way to retire comfortably. Another example can be displayed by assuming you begin saving $500 a month at age 25 and stop saving at age 35. That is a ($60,000 initial investment). With a 7 percent annual return, you will end up with $720,000 at the age of 65 if you began saving that same amount at the age of 40 and kept saving until 65. That is a ($150,000 initial investment). With a 7 percent annual return, you would net $412,000. So, you can see the benefits of compounding interest. While beginning the saving for retirement process in your 40s or 50s is not ideal, and it is not a lost cause either. 

Playing catch-up

If you are starting late on your retirement plan, you can take steps to fund your post-working years. However, you must first stop wasting time and make some potentially uncomfortable moves. The best time to start saving was about ten years ago, but at least you are starting today. Do not be depressed if you are in a place of feeling behind. Many people in the same situation will give up, saying it is too late, but that is not the case. You just must create a plan that works for you.

What’s Possible? Create a Plan to Find Out!

Research and discover how to retire early, build wealth, and feel secure. Do better and be more efficient with your time, taxes, investments, income, healthcare, financial goals, and more. Create a plan that will match your life, goals, and values. 

Older savers have potential advantages. They are in the peak years of earnings, where their kids are out of the house and off their parental support. This, in return, provides extra money to route into savings. There is even more money to be rerouted into savings for those who have paid their mortgages off. Fortunately, the government recently, as of 2020, offers catch-up provisions to employees over the age of 50 — an extra $6,500 in a 401(k) and an additional $1,000 in an IRA over the standard contribution limits.

You might be tempted to take a ton of risks with your investments to catch up. However, saving money is still far more important than how you invest 10 to 20 years before retirement.

Saving vs. Investing

Let’s show an example of savings vs. investing. Assume Jack and Jill Smith are 50 years old, with little retirement savings. However, the kids are grown to supercharge their savings to make up for lost time. Jack wants to take on more risk to catch up, while Jill would instead simply save more.

The Smiths have a household income of $100,000, which will increase at a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment each year. Jill expects their investments to compound at 6 percent annually and would like to save 20 percent of their income. Jack thinks he can do much better than that by trading stocks and saving a little less. Jill thinks Jack is too optimistic. For the average investor, trading stocks usually a money-losing proposition. A University of California study shows that active traders massively underperformed in index funding, thus showing that people who traded the most also had the worst returns.

Since the Smiths want to retire between the ages of 65 to 70, they are unsure how far their savings will go in such a short time. Here is an example of their current plan, one with a higher savings rate and one where Jack’s stock picks perform at a high rate:

UNCREDITED

Even if Jack doubled Jill’s six percent return target, a higher savings rate would have led to better results. A doubling of the Smith’s savings rate from 10 percent to 20 percent producing a better outcome than a doubling of their investment return over two decades. So, increasing your savings rate is way easier than increasing investment returns. 

Many people who begin to save late in life assume that all their assets need to be placed into the stock market to make up for lost time. However, your portfolio needs to be balanced with real estate, bonds, and cash with an ample savings rate.

Taking on more stock market risk does not guarantee better results. The market will not give you profitable returns just because you need them. Your savings rate is something that you control, while no one controls the returns thrown off by the financial markets.

Saving at an early age is essential due to forming solid financial habits and causes compound interest to snowball your money over time. But saving is probably even more critical for those who are behind on their retirement savings. This is because you do not have as long to allow compounding interest to do its thing.

Now, this does not mean your time as an investor has ended when you retire. The Social Security Administration states that a couple who retires today will have a 50 percent chance of living into their 90s. So, you could still have two to three decades to manage your money during post-work years. It is just that your time as an earner and saver may have a shorter shelf life if you do not work during retirement.

Working longer will allow you to save more money and let compounding interest do its thing, lowering the number of years your portfolio needs to last during retirement and potentially delaying taking Social Security payments. For example, delaying Social Security benefits from age 62 to age 70 can increase your monthly benefit by more than 70 percent. Of course, not everyone wants to work longer, but it can drastically increase your odds of success in retirement for those willing and able.

Veteran Doctor - Episode 30 - NDVS

Facility.

            Address.

Nevada Department of Veterans Services Headquarters – Reno

(775) 688-1653  and FAX (775) 688-1656
6630 S. McCarran Blvd. Building C, Suite 204
Reno, NV 89509

Nevada Department of Veterans Services – Las Vegas

(702) 486-3830
Grant Sawyer Building
555 E. Washington Avenue, Room 3200
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Vision

All Nevada Veterans and their families understand, and can connect to, benefits and services they have earned.

Mission

Serve Nevada Veterans by honoring their remarkable legacy and by connecting them to earned benefits and services. Through our seven major lines of effort we:

• Professionally assist Veterans and their families obtain Federal and State Veterans benefits.
• Provide quality skilled nursing care at our State Veterans Homes.
• Provide dignified burial support at our State Veterans Memorial Cemeteries.
• Manage effective programs addressing the needs of at-risk Veterans.
• Successfully integrate returning Servicemembers and Veterans into Nevada communities.
• Honor the service and sacrifice of all Nevada’s Veterans and their families through ceremonies and information campaigns.
• Assist, and coordinate the efforts of, service organizations and individuals insofar as their activities benefit Nevada Veterans, Servicemembers, and their families.

Who We Serve

Nevada Veterans; Active, Guard, and Reserve Servicemembers living or working in Nevada; and their families, caregivers, and survivors.

What We Do.

Benefits and Services

• Burial and Memorial
• Education
• Employment
• Financial
• Headstones, Markers, and Medallions
• Health and Wellness
• Housing Assistance
• Legal Assistance
• Outreach Programs
• Military, Veteran and Family
• Minority & Unique Veterans
• NDVS VSOs
• Veterans Service Officers, Benefits Assistance
• Assistance & Resources
• Suicide Prevention
• Transport
• Veterans Appreciation
• VCCs
• Veterans Community Councils
• Women Veterans

 

Suicide Prevention

You Matter!

If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-8255 and PRESS 1!

Vision

It is our hope that the Nevada Suicide Prevention Plan will provide a catalyst for collaborative action, improved understanding and increased wellness in communities across Nevada. This plan is based on the strong belief that everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention, and those individuals and groups that address the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs of individuals and communities must work together if we are to be effective.

Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenge

The goal of the Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenge program is to eliminate suicide by using a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention. Anyone can participate. Visit our Suicide Prevention Awareness page for details. The NDVS Suicide Prevention Team has recruited the most Mayor’s Challenge Teams in the nation – Truckee Meadows, Las Vegas, Elko and Winnemucca, along with the Governor’s Challenge Team.

Preventing Suicide Is Everyone’s Business

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services has a dedicated office for suicide prevention with information addressing every age group. The mission of the Nevada Office of Suicide Prevention is to reduce the rates of suicide and suicidal acts in Nevada through statewide collaborative efforts to develop, implement and evaluate a state strategy that advances the goals and objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

• What to do if you identify someone at risk for suicide – Please read more!
• Contact theNevada Office of Suicide Prevention
• Download theStatewide VA Suicide Prevention Resources (PDF)
• Suicide Prevention Resources
• Vets 4 Warriorsprovides 24/7 confidential, stigma free peer support by veterans to Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members, Veterans, Retirees, and their families/caregivers. Share lived experiences to create an environment of trust that demonstrates you are never alone, there is a caring, empathic voice ready to connect and follow up. Call Vets 4 Warriors support line at: 855-838-8255 (Toll Free) or visit Vets4Warriors website for more information.

 

State Veterans Homes

Northern Nevada State Veterans Home (Sparks)

(775) 827-2955 and FAX (775) 327-4892
36 Battle Born Way
Sparks, NV 89431

Please visit the Northern Nevada State Veterans Home page. For questions about Admissions, please call or email Admissions Director Troy Harsh at 775-827-2955 or Troy.Harsh@nnsvh.com. For questions about donations, please contact Julie Dudley, dudleyj@veterans.nv.gov.

Southern Nevada State Veterans Home (Boulder City)

(702) 332-6784 and FAX (702) 332-6762
100 Veterans Memorial Dr.
Boulder City, NV 89005

State Veterans Memorial Cemeteries

Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Fernley)

(775) 575-4441 and FAX (775) 575-5713
14 Veterans Way
Fernley, NV 89408

Please visit the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (NNVMC) page and our Online Cemetery Registration Form. 

Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Boulder City)

(702) 486-5920 and FAX (702) 486-5923
1900 Veterans Memorial Dr.
Boulder City, NV 89005

 

Veteran Doctor - Episode 26 - Positive Thinking brings Positive Outcomes

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-SIXTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Positive Thinking brings Positive Outcomes.

I hope all is well and you are staying safe and healthy. So, we have been encountering some challenges this past year, and depending on the individual, your perspective on these challenges will determine the outcomes of your lives. Let me explain. Many people who approach problems or issues they face with negative attitudes usually have a more challenging time recovering than those with positive attitudes. So with that in mind, I would like to discuss the power of Positive Thinking.

Many people who live in snowy or dreary climates are very familiar with the feeling of standing outside in early spring, complaining about how cold and dreary everything looks. It seems like winter will never end.

Those negative thoughts can quickly take over your mindset and challenge you to find anything positive to think about. But then something unexpected happens, making you pause when you hear the birds sing louder than you have listened to in several months. This, in turn, begins to change your mood, and your positivity returns.

Positive psychology, or better defined as the study of happiness, is “a field that examines how people can become more fulfilled and happier.” From negative to positive, this change in mindset is an excellent example of a central principle of positive psychology. For every negative thought, the goal is to think of two to three positive ones. Psychologists believe this technique will help you banish the negativity that takes up unnecessary space in your mind and improve your mood.

Finding the positive is not always a straightforward process, but it can become more concise with practice. Start by recognizing your negative thinking patterns and then intercept them. Frequently, when one negative thought occurs, it usually multiplies. Turning to positive thinking does not mean ignoring the unpleasant things happening around you; it just means that you are approaching those situations more productively.

Positive thinking will help improve your mental health and improve your outlook on life and give great benefits to your physical and emotional wellbeing. According to research conducted at the Mayo Clinic, positive thinking can help manage stress, which helps provide health benefits that include: a strengthened immune system, an increased lifespan, lower rates of depression, and decreased risk of death that occur from cardiovascular disease.

When negative thoughts begin to occur, try to reframe the situation and find two to three positive things to fight that downward spiral. Try focusing on something different such as the beauty of your surroundings or memories with a loved one. Permit yourself to laugh off the “small stuff,” surround yourself with positive people, and practice positive self-talk daily. Positive thoughts result in positive outcomes.

Negative thoughts fill our minds and prevent positive ones from occupying valuable real estate in our brains, which do not have the same importance. You would not keep garbage in your living spaces, so why would you hold negative thoughts in your mind? Eliminate negativity the same way you take out the trash! It only smells and takes up too much space.

Results often reveal a person’s mindset. If the individual has an “it-can’t-be-done” attitude, they are probably right; they thought themselves into that kind of negative thinking. Have you ever seen someone valuable to an organization because of their ability to identify all the reasons why something could not be done? Of course not! Organizations need people who will take the most optimistic approach that leads them to success through positive thinking and finding successful solutions.

If you see poor results in your business or personal life, something needs to change. Our thoughts drive our actions. The solution is to examine your thinking and develop a healthier way to fix something that’s not working or simply find a new way to do it. Having a solution-oriented attitude brings grander results in a faster way. Think, what can be changed to do this better?

Most people will agree when I say that the power of positive thinking is remarkable. The thought that your mind can change your entire world almost seems too good to be true. However, I can assure you that I have experienced AND witnessed the good that focusing on the positive can bring to your life. However, before I continue, let me ask a simple question. Can you fathom what the most successful people think about all day long? Simply…Healthy, happy people think about what they want and how to get it! Developing a positive attitude will change your entire life. When you intentionally think and talk about what you want and how to get it, this creates happiness and greater control of your life. When you think about what makes you happy, your brain releases endorphins, which give you a generalized feeling of wellbeing. As a result, you develop a newfound positive attitude.

How to Think Positive

Research has shown that positive people seem to have a unique quality that enables them to live a better life. Can you guess what that is? It is their quality of optimism! The best news is that optimism is a learnable quality. You can learn how to think positively by adopting an optimistic mindset. By the simple rules in cause and effect, if you do and say the same as other healthy, happy people with positive attitudes, you will soon resemble the same feelings, gain the same results, and enjoy the same experiences.

Happy People Find Good in The World

Optimists seem to possess different ways of dealing with the world, which set them apart from the average person.

1. They keep their minds focused on what they want and keep finding ways to get it. Goals remain clear, and they remain confident that they will accomplish them, eventually.
2. Optimists look for the good in every challenge. When things go wrong, they say, “That’s good!” Then they find something positive about the situation.

We know that if you are looking for something beneficial in a situation, you will always find it.  This will always produce a more positive and cheerful person.

The Power of Positive Thinking

Optimists seek valuable lessons after every setback or reversal.  So, rather than getting upset and blaming someone else, they control their emotions by saying, “What can I learn from this experience?” Learn how to develop positive thinking and develop a positive attitude toward yourself, people around you, and your life.

How to Train Your Brain to Think Positive?

Training your mind to think positively is achieved by leveraging a simple concept. The mind only can focus on one thought at a time due to limited bandwidth. Just keep your mind focused on uplifting thoughts until you form the same neural pathways created when you establish new habits. When an adverse event occurs, remember that how you respond will genuinely determine the outcome. Always look for a positive response or an optimistic lesson when adverse events take place. Positive phrases can be repeated to teach you how to eliminate negative thoughts and encourage a positive attitude. Motivation can be found in inspirational quotes and messages. They are instrumental when trying to induce positive thoughts.

Decide to Be Happy

Happy people give thanks to any blessings in their lives rather than worrying or complaining. Assume the best of intentions in everyone around you.  Most people are pretty decent, honest, and trying to do their very best. When you look the good in their words and actions, something will always appear. Finally, resolve to be joyful, no matter what happens. Looking on the bright side of things is the most important mindset to have when things go wrong.

Your Positive Attitude in Action

It is a lot easy to be happy when everything is going as planned.  But when you encounter unexpected setbacks, this is when you demonstrate to yourself and the world what kind of an attitude you have. Ensure that you possess a positive one!

How Positive Thinking Can Help You

Developing a positive attitude can help in more ways than you might understand. When you think of positive thoughts, you do not allow your mind (conscious or subconscious) to entertain any negative thoughts or doubts. After you begin to think positively, you will notice remarkable changes all around you. Your brain will start to operate in a state of free-flowing feel-good hormones called endorphins, which will make you feel lighter and happier. You will also observe a significant boost in your confidence and will feel more capable of taking on new challenges that might have been previously outside your comfort zone. By reducing your self-limiting beliefs, you will effectively release your brakes and experience growth like you never imagined. Essentially, you can change your entire life only by harnessing the power of positive thinking.

Here is another way to look at Positive Thinking:

There are still diehard people out there who insist that positivity is just a code word for fooling around and not getting things done. They could not be more wrong. The positive state of mind has been shown to fuel incredible results in our lives and work in many ways.

A quick primer on emotions. There are countless emotions we can feel. One set of emotions allow us to be aware of danger and threats with intense focus. The emotions that fall onto the negative side also give us the ability to be accurate with complicated or problematic issues. They also help us signal to others if we are displeased with them, warning that things need to be addressed in the relationship. When we feel any number of nuances of anger, fear, and sorrow, we are negatively affected, which is a fancy word for messing with our emotions and traits.

It’s important to understand that a biological reason accounts for negative emotions, which are essential to our survival. It would be crazy to propose that anyone ever try to wipe out negative emotions. We need them. But here is why it’s essential to be more deliberate about positive affect. We have a lot more brain architecture devoted to danger and threat detection than we do to rewards. So, positive emotions are necessary to give a critical boost to our productivity, effectiveness, and overall wellbeing. We need to deliberately lookout for things that give us positive affect.

We know that negative emotions tend to narrow our focus and prepare us for a fight, flight, or freeze response. When threatening situations occur, our brains look for old information to protect ourselves from the perceived threat. That works well when bad things are happening quickly. This allows us to access relied upon neural pathways to answer problems. That is why we practice something over and over again. Practice helps us create muscle memory to access needed skills in the heat of a situation without thinking. Overall, negative emotions can feel threatening.

On the opposing spectrum, positive thinking and positive emotions feel positive and open our brains for compelling results. This also gives us a sense of reward and safety. We are in our most creative, innovative, and productive space when we feel optimistic about what we are doing. Think about all of the ideas you can develop when there is no threat or risk. Additionally, think about how much longer you stay with something when you like how it makes you feel. Positive emotions also act as an erasure to the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol at the higher levels of a chronic state can lead to numerous debilitating health issues affecting memory and cognitive ability. So, we need to give our brains some relief each day by positively erasing its stressful effects. Our brain’s negative bias is vast, so rebalancing 20-30 seconds a few times a day is all it needs. It is very little to ask when considering the benefits of positivity.

Work and life are filled with situations that require us to do and say things that feel bad. It also makes sense to be more negatively affected when we’re making a spreadsheet or elaborate proposal. That helps with accuracy. However, highly successful people actively seek out thoughts and circumstances that place them in a positive state of mind.

Know where you stand. We are born with a naturally “set range” of positive and negative affects. The more positive affect you possess, the more resilient you are in the face of setbacks and feel more positive feelings. The opposite is true if you have a higher set range in the negative affect. 

The way to you can get an idea of your set content by going to www.authentichappiness.com.  It is a site by Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he offers several tools. You must sign up to participate. Take the Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). If you answer honestly, you will get two scores: one for positive affect and one for negative. These scores range from 0-50. The higher the score, the higher the effect. If your positive score is higher than your negative score, you are more prone to positive impact. The opposite is true if you have a more negative effect.

If you want to increase the amount of positive thinking in your life, researchers have found that you can do a few fundamental things each day to permanently change the effect in your life.

Here are six tips for achieving more positive affect.

1. Take a picture every day of something that brings a sense of happiness or just makes you laugh. Review your photographs often throughout your week. The bump of positivity you will get is impressive while forcing you to lift your head out of that work project and notice things that give your brain positive neurochemistry.
2. Keep a gratitude journal. Plenty of research has shown that people who write down a simple statementof gratitude for something that happened to them that day are more prone to a sense of wellbeing.
3. Do at least one thing each day that positively surprises somebody else. Call up a dear old friend just to say hello to them. Leave post-it notes on a colleague’s computer screen thanking them for the job they did on a project with you. Compliment someone on their intelligence, talent, and how healthy they look.
4. Do mindfulness exercises or meditate. The primary point is to calm and focus the mind on resetting the stressor chemical cortisol every day.
5. Create a laughter file. Take all the humorous jokes and videos that friends and family send you and store them in a file. Each day, you need to read or watch a few.
6. Keep a file of the articles or YouTube videos that warm your heart. Visit those fond memories each day for a few minutes.

Many of the things here will seem ridiculous to people deeply invested in being negative or adverse. That determination is acceptable, so long as it does not follow with depression or an inability to bounce back from setbacks. Nonetheless, research has shown that positivity only takes one small bump each day to begin to benefit from the power of positive emotions. Eventually, new perspectives develop when bad things happen, and we become more resilient in the face of the danger that the world offers us each day. Hopefully, this has been some insightful and helpful information. Give it a try! You will be surprisingly pleased with the outcome and results. Until next time, have a great month, be safe, stay healthy, and enjoy!

Veteran Doctor - Episode 25 -Veterans Stress – Stress has Dramatic Effects

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-FIFTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Veterans Stress – Stress has dramatic effects on the Mind and Body.

As veterans, we are faced with different challenges as life gets back to somewhat of a normal pace again after COVID. Some of us are happy, while others are getting a little stressed and anxious. Stress is very powerful. We, as veterans, have dealt with different forms of stress throughout our lives. We should be experts, but all of us deal with stress differently. So, I would like to educate everyone on the effects of stress to help us understand it and potentially deal with it better when our lives get into those stressful moments.

So, there you are, sitting in traffic, late for a necessary appointment, watching the clock tick away. Your brain decides to release the stress hormones! These stress hormones trigger your body’s “fight or flight” response. Your heart races, you begin to breath more rapidly, and your muscles tense, ready for action. This response was designed to protect the body in the case of an emergency; however, as this response keeps firing day after day, it could cause severe risks to your health.

Stress is a natural reaction to many different life experiences. Everyone experiences and handles stress differently. Anything from work, school, or family to serious life events, a new diagnosis, war, or death can trigger stress. For short-term situations, stress can be beneficial by helping you cope with serious situations.

Although, if your stress response does not reset and these stress levels stay elevated, it can affect your health. Chronic stress can produce a variety of symptoms and affect your overall well-being, like irritability, anxiety, depression, headaches, and insomnia.

Central nervous and endocrine systems

One of the responsibilities of your central nervous system is the “fight or flight” response. The hypothalamus gets the ball rolling in your brain, telling your adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones speed up your heartbeat and send blood rushing to the areas of need, such as your muscles, heart, and other vital organs. When the perceived fear is gone, the CNS should return the body back to normal; however, if the stress doesn’t go away, the response will continue causing chronic stress. Chronic stress is also a factor in overeating, drug and alcohol abuse, and social withdrawal.

Cardio and Respiratory Systems

Stress hormones affect every aspect of our respiratory and cardiovascular systems. During a stress response, you breathe faster to distribute oxygen-rich blood to your body quicker. If you have prior breathing issues like asthma or emphysema, stress is going to make it worse. Stress hormones cause your heart to pump faster, which constrict your blood vessels and divert more oxygen to your muscles, so you will have more strength to react. This process also raises blood pressure. As a result, chronic stress will make your heart work too hard, too long. When your blood pressure rises, so does your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.

Digestive system

Under stress, the liver will produce extra blood sugar (glucose) to give you a boost of energy. If you are under chronic stress, your body may not be able to break down this extra glucose flood. Chronic stress may potentially increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The body's increase in hormones, increased heart rate, and rapid breathing can also upset your digestive system. You are more likely to experience heartburn or acid reflux, thanks to an increase in stomach acid. Stress can also affect how food moves through your body, primarily leading to nausea, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea, or constipation.

Muscular system

During stressful times, your muscles tense up to protect themselves from injury. Your muscles will release again once you relax, but if you are constantly under stress, your muscles may never get the chance to relax. Tight muscles cause back and shoulder pain, headaches, and body aches. Over time, this can cause secondary unhealthy issues of cycle-stopping exercise and turn to pain medication for relief.

Sexuality and reproductive system

Stress is extremely exhausting for both the body and mind. It is not unusual to lose your desire when you are under constant stress. In comparison, short-term stress may cause men to produce more male hormone testosterone, although this effect is not long-lasting if stress for long periods of time, a man’s testosterone levels can begin to drop. This can interfere with sperm production, cause erectile dysfunction, or even impotence.

Immune system

Stress stimulates the immune system. This stimulation helps in avoiding infections and healing wounds. But excessive stress hormones can weaken your immune system and reduce your body’s response to fight foreign invaders. People who experience chronic stress will become more susceptible to viral illnesses like the flu, common cold, and other infections. Stress can also drastically increase the time it takes you to recover from a disease or injury. 

Managing your stress levels

We have established that chronic stress is terrible for us, but what is more important is how to realistically manage it properly.

Reorganize and Refocus. When stress increases, we are focusing on an event or situation that could or has gone wrong. Instead of focusing your attention on the negative aspects of these stressful events, take a step back and refocus. Train your mind to start thinking about things that can go positive. Every situation is only as stressful as our mind perceives it. If we can assess and reorganize our thoughts, then we can focus on what we can control. We are much less likely to become stressed.

Assign yourself reasonable goals. It is common for most people to take on more than they can handle. We think we can do it all. Truthfully, we all have our limitations. Assess the amount you can manage and recognize when it is beginning to feel like too much. It is fine to say “no” to some requests. If you feel like you cannot take on anymore, just say so! This helps to eliminate unnecessary stress and allow for time to relax! 

Make and create time for yourself. Create enjoy at least one relaxing activity every day. This means make time and listen to music, read, or even just sit in a quiet room. These 15 to 30 minutes can help lower your stress levels and help you focus and think more clearly.

Get some perspective.  Easier said than done! Especially when something negative has happened. However, a more important question to ask yourself: is this truly worth my attention? Try to focus on the positives and just move on. You need to spend your time on things that are important to you.

Exercise. Numerous studies have proven the benefits of managing stress with exercise. Try working out 30 to 60 minutes each day by performing any activity, whether weight training, yoga, pilates, cardio, etc. If this is too unrealistic for you, try these other options: (1) Park your car at the far side of any parking lot for a longer walk, (2) Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or (3) Bring in groceries one bag at a time.

So, I hope you enjoyed this information. Even if it may not pertain to you at the moment, there will be times that stress will affect you in one way or another. If not, share it with another Veteran who may be having some issues with stress. Anyway, have a good week, stay safe, and I will see you at the next week. Take Care!

REFERENCES:

Healthline.com (2021). The Effects of Stress on Your Body. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/effects-on-body

Mannsfield, T. (2017). 5 Things you Can Do Before Stress Takes Its Toll. Core Life Eatery. Retrieved from https://www.corelifeeatery.com/5-things-you-can-do-before-stress-takes-its-toll/

Veteran Doctor - Episode 27 - Leashes of Valor

Leashes of Valor

www.leashesofvalor.org

About Founders

About Danique Masingill

President & Co-Founder

Danique’s journey to serving as Leashes of Valor’s president began when she was a member of the U.S. Navy. Her duty was to enforce military law, but she was left with nowhere to turn when she was sexually assaulted by senior leadership. The trauma from this experience led her to leave the military after five years of service. But her will to help fellow veterans remained a guiding force.

As a student at Syracuse University, she quickly established herself as an expert in the field of military working canines and service dogs. Congress, The Department of Transportation and Government Accountability Office each tapped Danique’s knowledge to craft wide-ranging policies regarding service dogs and military canines.

Then, amid surging suicide rates among veterans in 2017, Danique co-founded Leashes of Valor, as a means to help former service members recover from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. In furtherance of this goal, Leashes of Valor recently partnered with Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Nursing to research service dogs as a scientifically proven treatment.

About Jason Haag

CEO & Co-Founder

Captain Jason Haag spent 13 years in the United States Marine Corps, including two tours in Iraq, conducting frontline operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, retiring as a Marine Corps Captain. After sustaining a machine gun injury and multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBI) during service, Captain Haag struggled with the after effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), leading him to be medically retired after numerous combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan.  In 2012 Captain Haag contacted an organization that provides warriors with service dogs. Within 7 months of applying Captain Haag was paired with his post-battle buddy and lifesaver, a service dog named Axel. Since experiencing the firsthand benefits of service dogs, Captain Haag has toured the country, educating policymakers, warrior organizations and warriors on the importance of service dogs for military warriors. He has been featured on over 50 news outlets including CNN and FOX News, and has been invited to speak publicly at Academic Institutions, Veterans Service Organizations, as well as Congressional briefings. Captain Haag has played an integral role in the creation of new laws regarding the acceptance of service canines in public establishments in Virginia and Florida.

About Matt Masingill

Canine Operations & Co-Founder

Matt T. Masingill is a 21-year retired United States Navy veteran, has spent over 27 years in uniform and is an advocate serving the veteran and military community. Masingill served honorably from 1992 to 2012 as a Boatswains Mate First Class (SW). Throughout his time in the service, he drove small craft in a variety of roles, managed harbor operations overseas and in the continental United States supervising ship maintenance and operated as a combat Coxswain instructor for Anti-terrorism force protection certifying Second Fleet vessels. Over the past five years, Masingill has become very active within the Veteran Service Dog industry. Masingill previously served with organizations such as American Humane Association and K9s for Warriors and has extensive experience in program management and development, training service dogs with veterans, and acting as the lead Warrior trainer with over 200 Warrior K9 teams graduating and recertifying under his leadership. Masingill not only brings his own military experience to his work, but also leverages his perspective as a veteran and military spouse; his wife is a Navy Veteran.

Statement.

Leashes of Valor is a national non-profit working to provide every post 9/11 veteran who needs one with a highly-trained service dog to assist them in mitigating the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Our mission is to bring service dogs and post 9/11 veterans together in order to enrich and improve the lives of both.

What We Do.

We provide task trained service dogs that are public access ready to veterans dealing with PTSD, TBI or MST at no cost to the veteran. We also provide an Emergency care grant called Dust Off for working dogs.

How We Do it.

We rescue dogs and train them at our facility to become Service dogs. Through the application and interview process we derive the necessary tasks to train for a specific dog to mitigate the veteran’s symptoms and assist in their daily life. The 16 day residential program at the ranch is designed to train the veteran on the use of their service dog, conduct tasks for public access and to instill the foundation of their bond. The dog has received all public access and task training prior to the veterans arrival and pairing, so the two-week program is solely for the veteran to focus on their training. The success of this training methodology is based on the peer to peer aspect, in which the veteran is immersed in a small unit of veterans that have been through or are simultaneously going through the training. This is all made possible by generous contributions from our donors, to ensure no veteran has to incur costs in order to receive their service dog.

Facility.

Leashes of Valor is located on a 20-acre farm in rural Virginia, where we have our live-in facility for our Warriors and Service Dogs. At max operation, our facility graduates 3 Service Dog teams per month. Training a Service Dog is expensive, costing upwards of $20,000 per dog. This is due to the long period of time necessary to ensure the quality of training these dogs receive.

Service Dogs.

OUR DOGS
Leashes of Valor provides meticulously trained service dogs to Veterans suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Every one of our dogs receives 100+ hours of training and months of public socialization, obedience and task training. In addition, each must pass their public access testing and the industry leading Canine Good Citizen Test.

We take great pride in the quality of training that our service dogs receive and take great care in ensuring each is accurately paired with the Warrior who is their perfect match. Every one of our dogs is highly qualified to provide the practical physical and emotional support needed to empower their Warrior with greater independence.

Training.

WARRIOR TRAINING
Once a Warrior and dog have been matched, their first step together on this journey is a 16-day in-house training program on our farm in Virginia. During this time, they will receive 120 hours of hands-on training with professional canine and warrior trainers. They will also participate in practical and theoretical seminars and receive basic service dog equipment, veterinary care, meals and housing at no cost. All of this is made possible because of the generous support of our donors.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Leashes of Valors’ philosophy is to pair each Warrior with a top quality trained service dog and ensure their public access training is achieved. We ensure the Warrior is in an environment that fosters the opportunity to be part of the solution to their recovery.

Matt Masingill, K9 Director at Leashes of Valor, heads up our kennel and leads all of training and trainers. Matt is a 21-year veteran of the United States Navy and a graduate of the Carson Long Military Academy. Our facility is located on 20 acres and the planned kennel will house between 18-25 rescued shelter dogs while they go through their rigorous service dog training. Once these brave dogs are paired with their warrior, they stay with their warrior tethered for the entire 16 days of training. This allows for the warrior and their new service dog to strengthen their bond.

Our organization upholds the highest quality of service dog training and overall canine care. We invest in continued education for our canine and Warrior trainers. We ensure our LOV team provide our Warriors with customized training tools that cater to each individual service canine’s needs, as these Warriors lives may depend on it.​

Veteran Doctor - Episode 24 - Veteran PTSD / The Cannabis Cure

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-FOURTH EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Veterans PTSD – The Cannabis Cure.

Marijuana Use for PTSD Among Veterans

The use of Marijuana for medical conditions is an issue of growing concern. Many Veterans use marijuana to reduce symptoms of PTSD, and many states specifically approve medical marijuana for PTSD. However, research has not been conducted on the safety or effectiveness of medical marijuana for PTSD. There is no evidence currently that suggests marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD. This research indicates that marijuana can be harmful to individuals with PTSD.

Epidemiology

Marijuana use has increased over the past decade. In 2013, a study found that 19.8 million people reported using marijuana in the past month, with 8.1 million using it almost every day (1). Daily use has increased by 60% in the prior decade (1). Several factors are connected with increased risk of marijuana use, involving diagnosis of PTSD (2), social anxiety disorder (3), other substance use, mainly through youth (4), and peer substance abuse (5).

Cannabis Use Disorders among Veterans Using VA Health Care

There have currently been no studies of marijuana use conducted on the overall Veteran population. The data we have gathered comes from Veterans using VA health care, who may not represent the Veteran population overall. When considering this subset of veterans seen in the VA health care with co-existent of substance use disorders (SUD) and PTSD, cannabis use disorder has been the most diagnosed SUD since 2009. Veterans in the VA with PTSD and SUD diagnosed with cannabis use disorder increased from 13.0% in FY 2002 to 22.7% in FY 2014. As of FY 2014, more than 40,000 Veterans with PTSD and SUD are seen in VA diagnosed with cannabis use disorder.

People in 33 States can use medical Marijuana. Why Haven't Veterans Been able to Use It for PTSD?

Dogs have been prescribed medical marijuana, but veterans still cannot get the drug from the Veterans Affairs.

• Several Veterans groups are working on getting medical marijuana approved as a form of treatment for PTSD.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) still refuses to provide marijuana to veterans because it is listed as a Schedule I drug.
• Many Veterans groups want to get that designation changed and have more research conducted on the benefits of medical marijuana.

Doug Distaso served his nation in the United States Air Force for 21 years.

He had the opportunity to command joint aviation, maintenance, and support personnel globally and served as the primary legislative affairs lead for two U.S. Special Operations Command leaders.

However, after an Air Force plane accident left Distaso with a traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and chronic pain, he was given more than a dozen prescription medications by doctors at the VA.

"I was taking everything from opioids, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and sleeping pills," Distaso stated. "Like countless other veterans, the cocktail of drugs that I was prescribed quickly threw my life into a turmoil, affecting my ability to perform at work, while straining my relationships at home."

Distaso states that living his life in a prescription drug-induced, zombie-like state left his wife and family begging with him on Christmas morning to come back to them.

"What brought me back to my family and career was medical cannabis. Cannabis helped me get off the pills and regain control of every facet of my life," Distaso said.

Unfortunately, for millions of veterans who depend solely on their VA healthcare benefits, federal law ties their VA doctors' hands. It harshly denies these veterans access to needed medical cannabis as a treatment option.

Distaso currently works for his fellow veterans as the Veterans Cannabis Project founder, which advocates for veterans' cannabis access, education to policymakers, and support for veterans seeking treatment options beyond the opiates and other prescriptive and addictive drugs they obtain from the VA.

It is time for Congress to approve the VA to research the effects of cannabis on familiar veterans' health issues and allow doctors at the VA to recommend and assist veterans in accessing medical cannabis.

The VA denial of cannabis

Cannabis use is still branded as harmful to veterans on the VA's website.

"Cannabis use for medical disorders is an issue of growing concern," the VA states.

Cannabis also remains on the Schedule I list under the Controlled Substances Act, the same as heroin.

According to the VA website, "measured studies have not been fully conducted to evaluate the safety or effectiveness of medical marijuana for PTSD. Thus, no proper evidence that marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD has been collected."

Conversely, the tide has turned nationally in terms of the attitude toward marijuana, especially for medicinal purposes.

Despite the unattainability of medicinal marijuana at the VA, veterans nationally are using cannabis to deal with their PTSD symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

Recent scientific studies are showing the medicinal properties of cannabis.

The VA website downplays the approval of marijuana in the United States, stating that "several" states have accepted the use of medical marijuana and/or recreational marijuana.

In all actuality, it's far more than "several."

Thirty-three states have enacted medical marijuana laws that allow eligible people to obtain or grow cannabis to treat various conditions.

Additionally, 15 states have decriminalized marijuana, and 11 states have legalized recreational marijuana.

A recent poll conducted at Politico and Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that Americans feel that marijuana is much less harmful than alcohol, tobacco, or e-cigarettes.

In the survey, one in five Americans state they believe marijuana is very harmful to people. Twice as many stated the same about alcohol, 52 percent characterized e-cigarettes as very toxic, and 80 percent indicated tobacco cigarettes are hazardous.

And more than six in ten U.S. adults said they favor changing federal law to legalize marijuana for recreational use.

Another recent survey shows strong majority support among Americans for legalizing marijuana.

Also, almost all Democratic presidential candidates agree to remove marijuana from the federal list of controlled substances.

And veterans and the American public overwhelmingly support medicinal cannabis for veterans.

In the 2017 American Legion survey, 92 percent of veterans said they supported research into the use of medical cannabis, and 83 percent support legalizing medical cannabis.

A new study on PTSD and cannabis

A new study concludes that cannabis may already be helping Canadians cope with depression and suicide in people suffering from PTSD.

This study was conducted on more than 24,000 Canadians, which concluded that people experiencing PTSD and not medicating with cannabis are far more likely to suffer from severe depression and have suicidal thoughts than those who used cannabis over the past year.

The study provides initial evidence that cannabis use may contribute to decreasing the connection between PTSD, severe depressive, and suicidal states.

This research states that there are limited treatment options for PTSD, so many patients have acted by medicating with cannabis to alleviate their symptoms. However, this is the first time that outcomes from a nationwide survey have exposed the potential benefits of treating the disorder with cannabis.

This research documented the first relationships between PTSD, cannabis use, and severe mental health outcomes in the veteran population. The big question is: If a Canadian health survey looked at PTSD and cannabis with such a convincing conclusion, where is the VA on this issue, which affects as many as thirty percent of the American veterans who served in the wars since September 2001?

Veterans group supports medical cannabis

While the VA still stands on the statement that it is not allowed to do research; however, this is not actually true.

They just have to coordinate with outside agencies to conduct it.

Only one-third of veterans mentioned cannabis to their doctor because of the stigma attached to marijuana use.

Veterans have a legitimate fear of reprisals at VA and in the workforce, where there have been programs that they can lose their jobs for testing positive for marijuana.

We have found that in different parts of the country where the use of cannabis is less stigmatized open conversation can be conducted with the VA physicians. However, in parts of the country where it is still illegal, providers are more skeptical or judgmental. It shuts the veteran up and is then dangerous as the veterans do not communicate openly with their provider.

Why the VA will not budge

The biggest hurdle for veterans seeking cannabis from the VA is that it is still on that Schedule I list of controlled substances at the federal level.

This means that cannabis "no acceptable medical use and has a more significant potential for abuse and risk for arrest," as identified by the federal government.

The VA considers any form of marijuana illegal. This means veterans cannot get help accessing medical marijuana from their VA doctors, relying on their own means to obtain any.

The recent congressional hearing explored bills that would allow for extended access to medical marijuana for veterans. VA representatives confirmed their position opposing any policies as long as marijuana remained illegal at the federal level.

Many agencies are "committed to improving treatment options for veterans and supports research into potential treatment options that may prove valuable."

Specific federal law restricts the VA's research with Schedule I controlled substances, including marijuana.

Before conducting any VA research using a Schedule, I controlled substance would involve lengthy communications and coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Health and Human Services.

Particular requirements include reviewing an investigational new drug application and approval of the research protocol by the FD, obtaining the medical drug through NIDA and the nationally approved medical marijuana production laboratory, and an investigator registration and site licensure by the DEA. These restrictions that are contained in federal law are clear. Research is allowed but must be done with the identified federal entities. If Congress wants more federal research into Schedule I controlled substances such as marijuana, it can eliminate these restrictions.

Multiple sources explain that Congress and the President can reschedule marijuana to make it accessible to veterans and make it researchable by the VA.

Former VA secretary wants more research

The Former VA secretary says that the VA should study cannabis.

"It is a little bit strange that marijuana is Schedule I while cocaine is Schedule II," stated the former VA secretary. "To say there is completely no medicinal value or application in cannabinoids is not true at all." "There is already an FDA-approved drug on the market, which is a cannabinoid, to treat pediatric epilepsy."

The FDA approved Epidiolex in June 2018; the first drug derived in the U.S. from the cannabis plant to reach local pharmacies.

He added that when he ran the VA, he was told the agency could not discuss cannabis with veterans and could not do research.

But he discovered later that this was not true.

"We can talk to our veterans about it. We just cannot prescribe the cannabis," says the former VA Secretary.

"It is possible to do research at the VA, but the barriers and bureaucracy are lengthy and painful. I can now more effectively articulate that Congress is the most likely player to streamline this research. And yes, it needs to be done."

Medical marijuana research

The Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) is the nation's oldest research center for the safety and efficacy of cannabis.

CMCR recently announced research to explore the effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis as an alternative treatment for schizophrenia, insomnia, alcohol dependence, rheumatoid arthritis, and anxiety linked to anorexia. Research done by the CMCR has also shown that cannabis can be useful for relieving pain, but research has not been conducted for studying cannabis concerning PTSD. This center is directly linked to the VA's regional office located in San Diego.

The legislation is not moving

Certain Congress members have tried to push for new legislation to make medical marijuana available to veterans at the VA without success.

Here are a few bills that have not made any progress:

1) The Veterans Equal Access Act allows the VA health providers to recommend medical marijuana to their veteran patients and provide the required paperwork to enroll in state marijuana programs.

2) The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2018 supports the scientific and medical research of medicinal cannabis for veterans diagnosed with TBI, PTSD, chronic pain, and other injuries by clarifying that research of medicinal cannabis is within the authority of the VA.

3) The Veterans Medical Marijuana, Safe Harbor Act is an act that would enable VA physicians to issue medical cannabis recommendations under the laws of states where medical cannabis is legal.

4) The Safe Harbor Act would require the VA to conduct studies on the effects of medical marijuana on veterans in pain related to their treatment programs involving medical marijuana approved by states, veterans' access to these programs, and a reduction in veteran opioid abuse.

OK, for dogs but not veterans?

It is ridiculous that Americans in most states now have access to medicinal marijuana, but America's veterans do not.

I have a non-veteran friend, and he receives medical marijuana for his dog's anxiety. He was shocked when he discovered that dogs could get medicinal marijuana, but veterans cannot get the same treatment at the VA.

Washington, D.C. is an echo chamber of circular logic. We are convinced there is a national craving for this issue on medical cannabis for veterans. Still, politicians only seem to hear themselves and continue to assume that there is not. We must change this view and make it known.

Cannabis May Help Veterans With PTSD

After 17 years in the military and deploying to almost every terrorist filled location on Earth, former Green Beret Adam Smith discovered that while his combat battles had ended, his personal one still lingered.

"I had a hard time with anxiety, sleeping, hyper-vigilance, and symptoms that revolve around PTSD," Smith, remembering his difficult transition to civilian life, starting in 2015.

"I found myself hopeless and in an awful place," said Smith, who also suffers from the effects of several past brain injuries. "The bottom of this black hole was me sitting on a couch with a pistol in my mouth."

Thankfully, Smith did not go through with it and said that in the years since, what's helped sustain him is the lessened joint pain, better sleep, and moderated his constant sensation of always feeling "switched-on," has been … self-medicating with cannabis.

Smith is just the kind of veteran lawmaker that is trying to help with two U.S. House bills that approved at the House Committee of Veterans Affairs on March 12:

H.R. 712, the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019, directing the Veterans Administration to research marijuana's impact on physical conditions related to active duty.

H.R. 1647, the Veterans Equal Access Act of 2019, allows physicians to complete state-legal medical marijuana proposal paperwork due to VA doctors currently being prohibited from doing this, forcing veterans to turn to private-network physicians.

Irritatingly Smith states, "When it comes to veterans and veterans' rights, the game of politics should not exist."

Smith has publicly talked about his avoidance of Veterans Administration treatment because of its chosen response to suffering veterans. That response includes treating veterans' symptoms with anxiety meds, sleeping pills, and high blood pressure meds and does not necessarily treat the total patient.

Smith finally realized in 2015 when he tried marijuana for the first time, alongside a military buddy who said marijuana had sharply reduced his seizures and improved his sleep. This may not display hard evidence to support cannabis as a solution for PTSD; many veterans swear by it.

Post-traumatic stress is no joke; Post-traumatic stress is something that's hitting our community in an epidemic. The social answer to deal with the trauma is to drink and drug our way into distraction or sedation, so we do not have to feel the pain anymore. That should not be the methodology."

Many Americans agree. A recent poll of 5,369 U.S. adults found support for CBD treatment, with 53 percent of those polled agreeing that medical dispensaries should be considered an "essential service."

What seems here like a cultural shift may have as much to do with the current anxiety engendered by the coronavirus crisis (which has spiked cannabis sales) as it does the different sort of pain veterans and first responders experience.

Marijuana is a top treatment for veterans' pain, PTSD, but the cost is a barrier

According to recent survey data, military veterans are using cannabis to treat chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression, among other ailments.

But the cost of medical marijuana is a barrier since it is not covered by insurance, even though veterans are using cannabis as an alternative to pharmaceuticals.

Final results from the 2019 Veterans Health and Medical Cannabis Study, which looked at 201 veterans in Massachusetts and 565 respondents nationwide, were presented at the Cannabis Advancement Series.

The study, which was performed March 3 through Dec. 31, was conducted by Marion McNabb, Steven White, Stephen Mandile, and Ann Brum.

Over half of the 201 Massachusetts veterans who completed the survey through outreach by veterans' groups, marijuana dispensaries, and social media sites were age 50 or older. Most, 54 percent had served in the Army. The sample was overwhelmingly male, 90 percent and 84 percent were white, non-Hispanic.

Chronic pain, anxiety, and PTSD are the top medical conditions facing veterans. Nearly one in three, 30 percent, of the veteran participants, were currently or homeless in the past. Ninety-one percent of participants reported using medical marijuana. Recreational marijuana was used by 59 percent.

Results from 2019 Veterans Health and Medical Cannabis Study

Top health conditions Massachusetts veterans are facing

As reported by 201 Massachusetts survey participants in the 2019 Veterans Health and

Medical Cannabis Study

37% Chronic pain

25% PTSD

10% Anxiety

Primary health conditions Massachusetts veterans find cannabis most helpful for treating

36% Chronic pain

24% PTSD

11% Anxiety

6% Depression

Top barriers to accessing cannabis reported by Massachusetts veterans

55% Money to purchase prod money

37% Money required to get a medical card

33% Access to the right products

33% Stigma

26% Owning a firearm

21% Workplace testing or other policies

Massachusetts veterans report cannabis allows them to:

89% Experience a much better quality of life

79% Experience much less psychological symptoms

69% Experience much less physical symptoms

44% Use alcohol much less now

40% Use prior medication (non-opioid) much less now

23% Use tobacco much less now

22% Use opioids much less now

Many veterans responded to the survey reporting that cannabis provided relief for their primary medical troubles, and 77% said that they were actively trying to reduce the use of their over-the-counter or prescription medications with medical cannabis.

The top symptoms being treated with medical cannabis included: pain, 51 percent; sleep problems, 50 percent; depression or mood, 45 percent; anxiety or panic attacks, 41 percent; and aggression, 24 percent.

"It surprised me, but it is not that surprising," McNabb stated. "They are consumers of medical cannabis. They are finding relief in medical cannabis."

The survey's findings brought additional attention to previously published research on medical marijuana by Staci Gruber.

Gruber stated that almost all research on the impact of cannabis on the brain and cognitive functioning comes from recreational users, most of whom began using the drug as teenagers while their brains were still developing.

Studies conducted by Gruber have found that after three months of treatment, medical marijuana patients demonstrated an improvement in task performance accompanied by changes in brain activation patterns measured in imaging. Further, after treatment, brain activation patterns appeared more similar to those in healthy controls, who weren't using marijuana than pretreatment with medical marijuana.

Gruber said her research suggested that medical marijuana use may affect the brain differently compared to the brain impacts among recreational marijuana users.

Consistent with the veterans' survey, Gruber's study also found medical marijuana patients reported improvements in how they felt and notably decreased their use of prescription drugs, predominantly opioid and benzodiazepines, after three months of treatment.

Mandile became an advocate for medical marijuana after being seriously wounded in Iraq while deployed in 2005. His Veterans Affairs doctors put him on 57 medications, which included nine opioids. In 2013 he attempted suicide.

In 2014, his wife's ultimate goal for Mandile was to wean himself from prescription drugs by using marijuana, which he accomplished in only five months.

He formed a nonprofit organization called the Alternative Treatment for Veterans to advance awareness of medical marijuana and work with dispensaries to offer discounts to veterans who have been rated 100 percent disabled by the VA. The product 11 marijuana dispensaries across the state have picked up the product discounts testified on proposed legislation, H. 4274, that would allow veterans to use their VA paperwork to qualify for a medical marijuana card instead of paying hundreds of dollars for the state-required card.

The 2017 state law legalizing the adult-use of marijuana called for the Cannabis Advisory Board to make recommendations to the Cannabis Control Commission on related costs associated with the purchase of medical marijuana by U.S. military veterans insured through the VA, and to make recommendations on improving cost-effective access. But the study and recommendations were never made by the Sept. 2018 deadline, Mandile said.

"As much as legislators can feel the connection with anecdotal stories," Mandile said, "they needed something more concrete, more data-driven."

This data found Massachusetts veterans spending an average of $79 a week on cannabis. Nearly three-quarters, 72 percent, purchase cannabis from regulated dispensaries, while one out of five, 19 percent, grow their money

The money to purchase marijuana products and get a medical marijuana card was the top two topics reported in the veterans' survey.

DAV - The Cannabis Cure

DAV requests more research on medical cannabis as an alternative treatment for veterans with chronic pain, PTSD, and TBIs

Like many veterans, military service rigors have taken a toll on Air Force veteran Jarid Watson's body. He is not sure when the injury occurred—perhaps during the 12 years of physical training or while loading and unloading cargo planes—but at some point, the ball joint of his hip tore his labrum and damaged the surrounding cartilage.

The injury brought on Watson's chronic pain and eventually led to his medical retirement in 2016. It also severely affected his sleep, which negatively influenced his motivation and mood. As a father, husband, student, and entrepreneur, something had to be done to fight this pain and restore being able to achieve a good night's rest to restore himself, his family, career, and studies.

For Watson, there was only one choice.

"As soon as I knew my military career was ending and dealing with this chronic pain was in my future, I considered medical cannabis as an option because I'm not going to take pain pills and potentially get addicted.'

Watson's reluctance toward pain pills stems from his personal experience. As a native of northeast Ohio, the Afghanistan War veteran lost two close friends to opioid overdoses and has witnessed how addiction can destroy individuals and their families.

"That area has been devastated with opiate and heroin use. That is tearing families apart in this country. It is killing people," Watson said.

The National Center for Health Statistics released a report in 2017 stating that there was a national opioid crisis killing more than 42,000 Americans in 2016. Alarmingly, a 2013 analysis by the Center for Investigative Reporting found that opioid prescriptions for veterans spiked 270 percent over 12 years, while a 2011 Department of Veterans Affairs study found that veterans were twice as likely to die as compared to the rest of the population from an opioid overdose.

The VA also estimates that 68,000 veterans, 13 % of the total veteran population currently taking opioids, have an opioid-use disorder. According to VA officials, doctors continue to prescribe them for chronic pain, a condition that 60 percent of veterans sustained from deployments to the Middle East and 50 percent of older veterans.

"Sixty percent of what the VA treats falls into the category of chronic pain, and the VA system is not designed to do much more than push pills, and those pills are not working," said Nick Etten, founder and executive director of Veterans Cannabis Project.

The story of Air Force veterans Jarid and Priscilla Watson helps display the effectiveness of medical cannabis. Jarid uses medical cannabis to help treat his chronic hip pain rather than using opioids pharmaceuticals, which he feels are dangerous. "He's much happier, more productive, and more motivated in his everyday life," said Priscilla, noting the difference.

Etten, a former Navy SEAL, also noted that medicinal cannabis is an effective treatment for the wounds he sustained in the Middle East—PTSD and TBI. He named pain, sleep, and anxiety as the primary symptoms veterans deal with concerning their service-connected injuries.

"Cannabis is proving to be safe and effective in treating my injuries," he said. "That's where it can be transformative and a potential game-changer."

"Before cannabis, he was constantly complaining about how tense he was and how much pain he had," said Watson's wife, Priscilla. "His pain would keep him up all night, so he would be exhausted, tired, and need naps throughout the next day. But now, he sleeps all night and is not in pain anymore."

As an Air Force veteran and nutritional therapist herself, Priscilla feels cannabis is a more natural and safer alternative to attending to his pain than opioid pharmaceuticals, noting the disparity between what she calls "the obsolete argument that marijuana is dangerous."

"He is happier, more productive, and more motivated," she added. "So, it has changed his quality of life greatly."

Medical cannabis's benefits associate with its responsible use, including refraining from driving while under the influence and ensuring that proper dosage is administered.

"As someone with a nutrition background, I do not let Jarid smoke it because I do not like having to deal with the damaging effects of the smoke in the lungs," she said. "He uses cannabis in the form of edibles, which I think is a lot safer, and tends to produce a more positive effect."

While the VA cannot deny any veterans benefits due to medical marijuana use, the VA providers cannot recommend or prescribe any form of cannabis since the Food and Drug Administration still classifies it as a Schedule I drug. Instead, Veterans must pay out of pocket for an annual physician's evaluation and medical cannabis cards in one of 30 states, which have legalized medical marijuana.

Participation in any state marijuana program does not affect a veteran's eligibility for VA care and services. VA providers can discuss cannabis use with veteran patients and adjust care and treatment plans as needed. However, Etten adds that the federal classification of cannabis leaves many veterans in limbo. While some can afford to pay the out-of-pocket costs, many others cannot and must rely solely on the VA for health care.

Until cannabis has been removed from the Schedule I list and elevated from a health policy issue where it can be treated as a medical treatment, we will be stuck in this legal gray zone where we are currently located.

However, the federal government maintains that more research into the efficacy of medical marijuana needs to be conducted before it is declassified and made available to service-connected disabled veterans through the VA.

DAV Resolution #23 supports additional research in the use of medical cannabis, noting the DAV's call for more research—rather than just legalization—requiring the need to know more about both the potential benefits and risks associated with medical marijuana. As veterans, we do not want to prescribe a new form of treatment without research showing it is safe and effective.

The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2018 promotes the scientific and medical research into the safety and efficiency of medicinal cannabis usage on veterans diagnosed with PTSD, TBI, chronic pain, and other injuries by clarifying that research medicinal cannabis is well under the authority of the VA.

"We have heard of veterans who use cannabis medicinally to cope with physical and mental injuries sustained from active service for our country," said Walz. "Twenty-two percent report using cannabis as a safer and more effective alternative to opioids and drug cocktails currently prescribed by VA for the medical conditions such as PTSD or chronic pain."

"As a physician, I am acutely aware of the need to look for opioid alternatives to treat patients' chronic pain," said Roe. "I've heard from many veterans who suffer from physical and invisible wounds and believe medical cannabis could benefit them."

The Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act (S. 3409) would also empower VA physicians to issue medical cannabis recommendations under states' laws where it is legal.

This legislation would also force the VA to conduct studies on "the effects of medical marijuana on veterans in PTSD and pain" and "the relationship between treatment programs involving medical marijuana that are approved by States and a reduction in opioid abuse among veterans."

In 2014 a study by the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered that medical marijuana laws had a twenty-five percent lower average annual opioid overdose death rate than states without such laws.

"If veterans can ease some of their chronic pain, symptoms of injuries they have received from serving their country without turning to opioids, the VA has a responsibility to research it," said Sen. Jon Tester.

Despite the criticisms of medical cannabis use, as it becomes gradually accepted, no other demographic stands to benefit more from its use and legality as America's veterans.

"I was tentative at first to be open about it because of the stigma that is still associated with cannabis," said Watson. "However, ultimately, you finally realize how much it helps, and you feel guilty for not sharing that information with everyone else."

Veterans organizations like DAV are precisely what medical cannabis users need to advocate for making medical cannabis an available alternative for veterans everywhere.

References:

Bonn-Miller, M. & Rousseau, G. (2015). Marijuana Use and PTSD Among Veterans. Department of Veteran Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/marijuana_ptsd_vets.asp

Hunter, T. (2018). A Cannabis Cure. Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Retrieved from by https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2018/the-cannabis-cure/

Oleck, J. (2020). Cannabis May Help Veterans With PTSD. And Lawmakers May Be Acknowledging That. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanoleck/2020/03/30/cannabis-may-help-veterans-with-ptsd-and-lawmakers-may-be-acknowledging-that/?sh=79ecf8315fe6

Reno, J. (2019). People in 33 States Can Use Medical Marijuana. Why Can't Veterans Get It for PTSD? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-are-veterans-still-being-denied-cannabis-for-ptsd-treatment

Spenser, S. (2020). Marijuana is a top treatment for veterans' pain, PTSD, but the cost is a barrier. The Metro West Daily News. Retrieved from https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20200204/marijuana-is-top-treatment-for-veterans-pain-ptsd-but-cost-is-barrier

Veteran Doctor - Episode 23 - Veterans and Hobbies

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-THIRD EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Veterans and Hobbies.

A hobby is defined as: "any activity is done regularly by a person for leisure or pleasure." Finding pleasure in your day-to-day life is essential for everyone, but hobbies are not just a space-filler for empty gaps in your schedule. They are often the things we enjoy the most in this world and give meaning to our lives.

Transitioning from a high-stressful and physical job like the military and going into civilian life is already challenging enough. Often, veterans are struggling with PTSD, mental illness, or physical disability. Hobbies can be the distinct difference between being depressed and unmotivated to giving purpose and satisfaction. In many cases, they are even the difference between life and death.

Here are 20 great hobbies for military veterans:

1. Fishing

If you love to be outdoors, fishing could be the perfect hobby! It is also something that can be done virtually anywhere. If there is a body of water, most likely, you can fish in it. You can start with a cheap rod and tackle, some advice from your local sportsman's shop, and a fair deal of patience. Then progress from there as you learn. Most states even provide discounts for fishing licenses.

2. Camping or Hiking

Here is one for outdoor enthusiasts. Luckily, this hobby can be done as mild or extreme as you want, depending on how far you want it to go. This is a way to enjoy places away from everything and disconnect from modern technologies. It gets people outdoors into nature while presenting opportunities of being in the water, in a tent, and exploring the natural world in many different ways. Outdoor enthusiasts can find excitement, while people who have never tried it may enjoy it, too. Hiking and hunting can all be ways to enjoy being with friends and family to go exploring on excursions or solo treks. Set up a camping trip with friends and see how it goes.

3. Woodworking

Woodworking can be as simple as working a pocket knife from a stick. It can also be as complicated as creating a pristine bowl from a tree burl. There are a million little projects in between. It is working with your hands; like so many vets are used to creating something extraordinary from raw materials.

4. Work with your Hands and Doing Creative Art

While woodworking may be a form of art, it may not work for you. Veterans often battle with mental and physical challenges. To help get past this obstacle, be creative, and try working with hands. Art is an over-arching term that can include painting, needlepoint, writing, photography, taxidermy, and even coloring. Yes, they make coloring books for adults. They are pretty popular, too. It is expressive to think about patterns, create something, and bring it to realization. Pottery work is popular also. Glass blowing is an opportunity to create beautiful pieces, learn something new, and connect with others.

 

Poetry, reading aloud, or doing story slams are currently popular, where people share stories from their journeys. They nurture the story, share it, and find some peace knowing that sharing a part of themselves may help others while helping themselves. Art therapy is a therapeutic experience that uses art to help heal people.

All these art forms and types of handiwork can be healing. Art therapy is a real thing! Overall, art just makes everyone feel better! It gets you into "The Zone," a state of mind that is proven to make our brains feel healthier and happier. Do not be discouraged if you think you are a terrible artist. The point of doing it is to experience it! You do not have to be good. Being an artist is not something you are either born with. You have to practice! Give it a try; see what you think.

5. Brewing beer

Like beer? Are you interested in learning how to make your own? Double-check. Brewing could be a hobby for you! When talking about military veterans' hobbies, this one comes up pretty often; I do not know if it is because soldiers just love beer. In any case, it is a great way to learn a new skill that can maybe save or make you money down the road. If that does not pan out, well, you still get to drink the beer.

6. Weightlifting or CrossFit

Military veterans are always looking for ways to stay fit after service, and there is already a considerable percentage who have taken up lifting. Weightlifting or CrossFit is a fantastic sport to increase your health while also increasing your confidence and improving your appearance.

7. Running

Exercise is an excellent means of stress relief. Running with feet pounding on the ground helps people get out their repressed emotions. Create a goal to train with someone for a 5K run or maybe another similar goal. Fitness has positive effects like bringing down blood pressure, leveling out blood sugar, and keeping stress under control. Many veterans usually run on their own but meet with others who share their goals and make it their new hobby.

8. Yoga

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years for its physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. Military veterans can use yoga as an excellent tool to cope with PTSD in both psychological and physical improvements. Yoga has been deemed as one of the most popular hobbies used by many different foundations and programs to help veterans deal with a wide array of problems. Stress resilience and mental resilience are essential things that yoga teaches that military veterans will find great use in.

9. Playing an Instrument and Music

If you have not learned an instrument by now, you may feel like you have missed your opportunity, but you are wrong. It is never too late to learn how to play an instrument! While it is true that children usually pick up new skills more effortlessly, you can still become an expert guitarist at age 30, 40, 50, 60, and beyond. Learning to play an instrument is a stress-reliever, confidence-builder, and is just plain cool. Even the simplest of instruments, a hand drum, is accessible for veterans who are not very musically inclined. Drum circles and therapeutic drumming are great ways to enjoy this type of musical experience. Piano and other instruments can help relieve stress and build confidence as well. This also provides an expressive outlet for veterans who struggle with sharing their experiences.

10. Reading

Reading is a quiet activity, which is excellent for people with loud, active, and busy lives. Not only does it train your brain to think quicker and retain more information, but it helps transport you into an entirely different and new world. Whether your interest is sci-fi, romance, or history, everyone has something to gain from reading.

11. Quad or RC car racing

For those of you who are adrenaline junkies and want to get physical: Try quad racing. It is fast-paced, invigorating, and can help you get that competitive edge back. For those who are not as physically active, you can still race; but RC (radio-controlled) car racing lets you participate from a distance. To start quad racing, you should join the nearest All-Terrain Vehicle Association or ATVA; that will allow you to race in any ATVA sanctioned quad races and give you a good feel for the sport.

12. Water sports (If your weather allows)

Jet skiing can be expensive for the initial cost, but then you are just paying gas. It's a lot of fun! Additional water sports like sailing, spear-fishing, scuba diving, paddle-boarding, kayaking, and kite are a lot of fun too. Surfing is another sport also. The ocean can be used as a perfect healing remedy. Surfing is an excellent therapeutic way to promote mental and physical wellness. Several foundations use surfing as a way to help improve veteran's well-being.

13. Golf

Golf may not seem like it would alleviate stress for some by trying to hit a little ball into a little hole over 500 yards away. However, If you change your perspective; You are outdoors, getting exercise on some of the most beautiful terrain, drinking what? Your favorite alcoholic beverage while you are playing! (please be responsible). Additionally, the more you play, the better you get!

14. Fishing

Many people enjoy the outdoors! Some enthusiasts love to sit on the water without any outside noise or contact. It is actually very serene! One of the primary triggers for veterans with PTSD, constant stress, and anxiety, can be noise. Places of peace can provide healing with quiet time away from everyday chaos. Fishing is not about the end game. The goal is to find rest and relaxation away from everything. There is also camaraderie if you can find people to go fishing together. Fishing trips at a cabin by the water can be fun while exploring the wilderness. Find what works and give it a try.

15. Gardening

Playing in the dirt is fantastic for healing. Emotional and physical challenges cannot stop people from getting into the dirt to plant herbs or flowers. Soil therapy is very underrated as it provides people with treatment without a lot of work. Many community-based planting opportunities offer small gardens and plots to join. A veteran can gain the fruits of their labor by being able to eat the food that they grow. Knowing where the food came from and that a person's hands helped produce it is often therapeutic. The witnessing of growth can be something positive amid a veterans' challenges in recovery.

16. Archery

The sport of archery is the perfect way to strengthen both the mind and the body. Archery requires concentration, technique, discipline, focus, and attention, which are skills that military veterans have been trained and are accustomed to. This perfect sport that can make the transition into civilian life more manageable. As your skills improve and you notice your arrows being more consistently accurate, a new sense of fulfillment drives you and your confidence.

17. Shooting

The sport of shooting is very therapeutic. Concentrating on the fundamentals of shooting to hit a precise target can be very relaxing, along with taking your mental frustrations out on that target. There are actually health benefits to shooting!

• Physical Discipline – To be able to control a firearm, it takes a bit of physical strength. Handguns significantly increase arm and wrist strength. When firing a pistol, it is essential to maintain control of the weapon after the recoil and a steady arm to ensure proper aim. Rifle firearms take a different arm and body strength as well as different firing techniques and positioning. Depending on the caliber's size, each requires the right strength and stance for adequate control. Along as stamina develops, better hand and eye coordination will follow with firearm practice.
• Improves Eyesight – Shooting does not cure your eye problems. However, it can help exercise your eye's full capabilities. Modern technologies like TVs, computers, phones, and tablets, stress our eyes from daily activities. The eyeball uses muscles that automatically adjust to what we are looking at. If our faces are stuck on the screen, we are not using all of the muscles in our eyes. This can ultimately lead to imbalances. While shooting, you are looking downrange at the targets to acquire proper sight alignment with your weapon and the target. This allows your eyes the opportunity to use the different muscles located in your eyes, allowing you to exercise different muscles and help provide balance.
• Mental Focus – When shooting, it takes a measurable amount of mental focus and discipline to perform well. Depending on what or where you are shooting, you will need to be aware of your surroundings (who is near or around you, and your targets). Additionally, it is essential to learn how to control adrenaline, which can interfere significantly. Military and law enforcement are continually training to maintain full control, especially under high adrenaline settings. They must ensure their abilities in controlling their weapon, ammo consumption, and knowing their target. Many accidental shootings or injuries are due to high adrenaline situations and failure to properly and safely operate their weapon. When at the range and before even getting your weapons out, take in your surroundings. Make a mental note of who is around and what possible distractions could take place.
• Stress Relief – Many find the discipline and practice of shooting to be a stress reliever. When shooting, it is your time to clear your mind of your problems. Shooting is like your own personal meditation session, where you can focus on yourself and self-improvement. If you suffer from stress, it is time to go shooting and leave your problems at home.

18. Horseback Riding

While dogs have been known to be man's best friend, there is another animal in the world who has also been seen by our side than the horse. Equine horse therapy has gained massive popularity with veterans by dealing with their mental health issues like PTSD. Riding horses helps people keep active in an outdoor setting, build core physical strength, and develop deep bonds with beautiful creatures. Equine therapy programs are being promoted worldwide, which is becoming more accessible to veterans everywhere.

19. Cycling

Military veterans have often sustained injuries from their military service, and cycling provides benefits for their disabilities or inabilities. There are customized bikes, like tricycles, that are used to participate in races. Cycling is a fantastic way to boost strength, confidence, and reduce vulnerability to stress.

20. Skiing

Extreme sports, like skiing, positively use adrenaline to affect negative triggers. Skiing brings an adrenaline rush to the veteran and helps put them in a focused state of mind where they live in that specific moment. Several foundations of programs, like the Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports program, use skiing to help treat symptoms of combat PTSD in military veterans.

Finding pleasure in daily life is essential for people to feel and experience validation. Hobbies are not just something to fill time when there is nothing else to do. They can significantly enrich a person's life and bring some joy and peace amidst the challenges. Hobbies are a perfect way to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, leading to an increase in happiness. It is better to mitigate stress whenever and as much as possible. The best hobbies in the world are ones which people can enjoy either alone or with others.

References:

Indoored.com (2020). Best Sports & Hobbies for Military Veterans. Retrieved from https://indoored.com/sports-hobbies-for-military-veterans/

Lawrence S, De Silva M, Henley R. (2010). Sports and games for post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD007171. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007171.pub2.

Ley, Clemens et al. (2018). "In the Sport I Am Here": Therapeutic Processes and Health Effects of Sport and Exercise on PTSD." Qualitative health research vol. 28,3 (2018): 491-507. doi:10.1177/1049732317744533

Leidy, L. (2020). 12 Great Hobbies for Military Veterans. Our Military. Retrieved from https://www.ourmilitary.com/hobbies-for-military-veterans/

Pressman, Sarah D et al. (2009). "Association of enjoyable leisure activities with psychological and physical well-being." Psychosomatic medicine vol. 71,7 (2009): 725-32. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181ad7978

Shooting Range Industries LLC (2020). Shooting Range Therapy; Can Firing a Gun Relieve Stress, Provide Physical Strength Training & More? Retrieved from http://www.shootingrangeindustries.com/shooting-range-therapy-can-firing-a-gun-relieve-stress-provide-physical-strength-training-more/

Strive (2020). Veterans Can Try These 7 Great Hobbies to Release Stress. Retrieved from https://www.strivecares.com/veterans-can-try-these-7-great-hobbies-to-release-stress/

Veteran Doctor - Episode 22 - Veterans and Dogs

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-SECOND EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Veterans and Dogs. We will also have our UBI and Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff ahead in our program!

Many brave soldiers return home with scars – both visible and invisible – that makes it challenging to transition back into civilian life. At the same moment, millions of wonderful companion animals wait in shelters for a forever home.

When a Veteran is appropriately matched with the right dog, both of their lives change for the better. The Veteran saves the animal from their demise and welcomes them into a loving home. The pet provides the Veteran with support, unconditional love, relieving stress, depression, loneliness, and anxiety.

Here is a very informative article I found on veterans and dogs written by Correll, D. (2020) from the Military Times that might be helpful:

While there are multiple options to choose from for treatment, nonprofit organizations like K9s for Warriors and Southeastern Guide Dogs have founded a treatment method that veterans cannot receive directly from the VA, and that is service dogs.

These extremely trained animals can perform a range of tasks such as tactile stimulation to help the veteran cope with anxiety or panic attacks or standing directly in front of their handler in a crowd to give the veteran space from other people. The goal is to empower veterans who are living with PTSD.

“Dogs will never cure your issues, but they are simply going to be a tool to help them in their recovery with it,” Suzy Wilburn, director of admissions and alumni, support at Southeastern Guide Dogs, told by the Military Times.

The VA is currently evaluating whether service dogs can benefit veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Although Congress first mandated a study on the topic in 2010, it has been put on the back burner twice.

Most recently, it was relaunched in 2015 and is still being conducted. According to the New York Times, the VA said that in May, it would unveil the study’s results in 2020.

But K9s for Warriors, who matches post-9/11 veterans with service dogs, has pointed to research Purdue University released in 2018 that found veterans with service dogs experienced lower overall symptoms of PTSD, lower levels of depression, and a more remarkable ability to engage in social activities.

Purdue partnered with K9s for Warriors for the study and examined 141 veterans with PTSD: 75 who had graduated from the K9s for Warriors program, and 66 who were on the waitlist.

Under current policy, Veterans cannot be matched with a service dog through the VA. But the agency can recommend veterans work with nonprofits that are members of Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation, coalitions that provide accreditation to organizations who train and place service dogs, to start the process of adopting a service dog.

Military Times spoke with experts at K9s for Warriors and Southeastern Guide Dogs, accredited organizations with the agencies above, and here’s what you need to know.

What’s the process like?

To apply for a service dog, veterans typically must submit documentation that they have been diagnosed with PTSD from their military service, conduct a series of interviews over the phone and/or at home with the service dog providers, undergo criminal background checks, and participate in a training course.

Information, including the contact information of the Veteran’s current mental health provider, primary care physician, and references, are also commonly requested.

“Here at Southeastern Guide Dogs, we have a pretty extensive application process that they go through,” Wilburn said.

“What we want to find out is if they’re appropriate to have a dog,” Wilburn added.

This ensures that Southeastern Guide Dogs knows essential information about the applicant upfront to prevent wasting a veteran’s and organization’s time if it’s not the right match.

Approximately 50 percent of the applications that Southeastern Guide Dogs receives are rejected due to various reasons, including criminal background, or if the Veteran is not also receiving treatment from a mental health professional, Wilburn said.

“We tend not to place our dogs if there’s a tendency toward any kind of violence,” Wilburn said.

The organization also conducts an at-home interview to guarantee that the Veteran lives in an environment safe for a dog.

During those checks, Wilburn said they figure out what a veteran is looking for in a service dog. That is, do they want a dog that will help them leave the house for the grocery store during the middle of the day or one that will help them cope with flashbacks or nightmares.

At that point, Southeastern Guide Dogs determines which dog they’ve been training is best suited for the Veteran, and then they work with that animal for 12 weeks to customize commands tailored to that specific Veteran.

Lastly, veterans are brought to the Southeastern Guide Dogs campus in Palmetto, Fla., for an 11-day training course to instruct them on how to work with their service dog.

Altogether, it can take up to two years for Southeastern Guide Dogs to train the service dogs the organization breeds, Wilburn said. Matching a veteran with a dog through Southeastern Guide Dogs takes between six months to one year.

K9s for Warriors also has a thorough application process and asks for various information in its 37-page application to service veterans diagnosed with PTSD, a traumatic brain injury, and/or military sexual trauma.

“We look at your mobility, we look at your activity level, we look at your home life, we look at the animals that you have in your home, we look at the goals that you have within three to five years,” Mike Drafts, Warrior Relations Manager at K9s for Warriors and a Marine Corps veteran, told Military Times.

Like the Southeastern Guide Dogs’ application process, veterans must submit documentation from a physician confirming they have service-connected PTSD. K9s for Warriors also conducts criminal background checks and contacts personal references.

Likewise, veterans also must submit confirmation that they are physically and mentally able to participate in a 21-day training program where they will go out in public with a service dog.

According to Drafts, 85 percent of the dogs K9s for Warriors trains are rescue dogs. The organization has a dedicated procurement team that evaluates dogs in shelters to determine if they have the aptitude and are medically cleared to work as a service animal.

If a dog cannot pass the K9s for the Warriors training program, they are then adopted through the organization to help prevent them from ending up in any kill animal shelter.

According to Drafts, K9s for Warriors has accepted approximately 360 applications in 2019. Drafts said a “good percentage” of applicants are accepted; however, they noted that failing to meet requirements will disqualify some candidates.

Those who are approved won’t receive a dog immediately, though. Even after being accepted into the K9s for Warriors program, veterans must be very patient because the organization’s waitlist is between 12 to 18 months.

The final portion of the matching process requires the veterans to complete 120 hours of training on-site at their headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Fla., where the Veteran is matched up with a fully trained service dog. The training is designed to show the veterans how they can instruct the service dog and work together as a team.

Once veterans graduate from programs like Southeastern Guide Dogs and K9s for Warriors, they must cover costs associated with having a service animal.

However, veterans who have substantial mobility limitations stemming from a mental health disorder can qualify to receive veterinary benefits for their service dogs, provided the dogs were adopted through an organization Assistance Dogs International or International Guide Dog Federation has accredited.

Drafts said approximately 38 graduates from the K9s for Warriors program had received approvals for this benefit this year.

Service dog vs. emotional support animal

Service dogs and emotional support animals are not the same and do not perform the same functions. Although emotional support animals have attracted media attention in recent years, experts note there are several significant distinctions between the two.

“The big difference between a service dog and an emotional support animal is not the dog itself, but the handler,” Rory Diamond, K9s for Warriors CEO, told Military Times. “For a service dog, the handler has a disability, and that dog is trained to help with that disability.”

That differs from an emotional support animal that could help anyone “feel better,” regardless of whether the handler has a disability or not, Diamond said.

Wilson expressed similar sentiments when asked about emotional support animals.

“Although it does the emotional part of it, it is not trained in any specific tasks to do that,” Wilson said. “It is going to sit on your lap and let you pet it and love it, and you are going to feel better about yourself, however, it is not going to help you mitigate anything disability-wise.”

Wilburn also pointed out service dogs have public access rights covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which only recognizes dogs and miniature horses as animals specifically trained to perform tasks for those with disabilities.

In contrast, emotional support animals do not have public access rights at all.

The PAWS Act

Groups like K9s for Warriors do not charge veterans going through their program to train and place a service dog. But both chambers of Congress have introduced legislation that would provide veterans a voucher to use to receive a service dog, known as the Puppies Assisting Wounded Service Members Act, or PAWS Act.

“The PAWS Act would change VA policy completely,” Diamond said, adding this could allow groups to match more veterans with service dogs.

The legislation would instruct the VA to establish a grant program to give veterans with PTSD $25,000 vouchers to adopt a service dog if that organization belongs to the Association of Service Dog Providers for Military Veterans. K9s for Warriors estimates it costs $27,000 to train and place each dog.

Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., introduced the measure in the House in June, and Sen. Debbie Fischer, R-Neb., reintroduced it in the upper chamber in November.

Previous efforts to pass the legislation have been unsuccessful. For example, it was first introduced in 2016, again in 2017, and most recently in 2019. Even so, the legislation has consistently been referred to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees and hasn’t faced a vote.

Diamond said that K9s for Warriors will continue working to advance the legislation and will instead invest more energy into the Senate in 2020 to try to ensure the legislation advances this time around.

“What you’ll see is a big push in the Senate in January...we’re going to put all of our efforts into the Senate side since the House seems to want to kill it every year,” Diamond said.

Advice for veterans?

For veterans starting the process of adopting a service dog, Wilburn and Diamond advised veterans to do their research ahead of time.

In particular, Wilburn warned that illegitimate organizations could attempt to target veterans because they may be in a “vulnerable” state.

“Although they may not feel that way, there are organizations and scammers out there that know that they’re vulnerable and will take advantage of that,” Wilburn said.

To safeguard against this, Wilburn said that veterans should head to Assistance Dogs International, which establishes training standards to ensure the dogs “meet the highest standards in the industry,” according to the organization’s website.

“That’s the best place for a service member to start, is to look at these accredited organizations around the country,” Wilburn said.

Diamond also recommended that veterans visit the Association of Service Dog Providers for Military Veterans’ website to familiarize themselves with various providers that connect veterans with service dogs, what the standards are, and what’s expected during the process.

Similarly, he recommended that veterans avoid working with organizations that require veterans to pay for the service dogs.

“There are lots of groups that are working for free,” Diamond said.

For Drafts, he recommended that veterans have ample support from their family to adopt a service dog because it can significantly alter the dynamic between a veteran and their family.

“What I mean by support is that this is a lifestyle change like no other, meaning that it is a service dog, and it’s almost like you’re adding a third person to a relationship,” Drafts said.

Drafts pointed out that the service dog is very different from a family pet and said the animal is designed to develop a bond with one person: the Veteran.

But no matter what, Drafts said K9s for Warriors wants to be a resource for veterans — even if their organization can’t directly assist them. If you need help, let someone know, Drafts said.

“It’s not just that we’re providing service dogs for veterans,” Drafts said. “We’re here to help any and every veteran.”

According to the VA, veteran suicides increased in 2017, averaging approximately 17 per day. Reducing that number is K9s for Warriors’ ultimate mission, and Drafts said that’s why they want to help all veterans — period.

“We’re just here to change lives,” Drafts said. “And that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Hopefully, this article is something that you find informative and intriguing. Animals are very therapeutic in helping Veterans in many different ways. If you feel that a dog could help you, please see your local VA and consult with your mental health professional. They should also be able to guide you in the right direction. If you have any further questions, please let me know. Until next time, take care, be safe, and I will see you next week

Reference:

Correll, D. (2020). Is adopting a service dog right for you? What veterans diagnosed with PTSD need to know. Military Times. Retrieved from https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2020/01/02/is-adopting-a-service-dog-right-for-you-what-veterans-diagnosed-with-ptsd-need-to-know/

 

Veteran Doctor - Episode 21 - Scams Targeting Veterans

Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-FIRST EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Scams Targeting Veterans. We will also have our Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff ahead in our program!

Veterans deserve many things: Praise. Honor. Security. Respect. Here’s what they don’t deserve: attempts to take advantage of their service. Yet every day, scammers attempt to swindle our veterans of their hard-earned benefits, steal their identity, take their life savings, and worse.

According to an AARP survey, veterans are twice as likely to fall victim to scams as the population at large. Some scammers offer veterans the opportunity to refinance Veterans Affairs (VA) loans at extremely low rates. Others will pose as government agencies in order to access personal information, or offer lump sum payments up front, in exchange for signing over all their future monthly benefit checks. There have even been instances where scammers will create fake charities that target veterans or pretend to be old friends offering “sure thing” investments.

Why are veterans so susceptible to these particular scams?

For starters, veterans implicitly trust fellow members of the military, making them vulnerable to imposters claiming to be veterans themselves. Sometimes, because of their military experiences, veterans also find it more difficult to recognize and combat the emotional manipulation used by scam artists.

That’s why the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and AARP joined forces to create Operation Protect Veterans, and provide valuable information and resources that veterans, their loved ones, and their friends can use to help protect against scammers.

Together, we can fight back and take one small step to repay our veterans for the service they’ve given and the sacrifices they’ve made.

Secret Veteran Benefits Scam

Veterans are told they qualify for “secret” government programs or benefits that offer thousands of dollars – but first, they attempt to collect personal information or a fee.

Fake Charitable Giving Request

Scammers make fraudulent claims about charities benefitting wounded service members.

Benefits Buyout Offer

Scammers take advantage of veterans in need by offering a quick upfront buyout – usually at a fraction of the value – of future disability or pension payments.

Veterans Affairs (VA) Loan Scams

Scammers offer to refinance Veterans Affairs loans at extremely low rates.

Bogus Employment Scam

Scammers post fake job descriptions to collect personal information from a veteran’s job application, or they charge an employment fee.

Fraudulent Records Offer

Scammers try to charge veterans a fee to access military records or government forms—information that is actually available for free through the National Archives (for military records) and VA.gov or local Veterans Affairs offices (for forms).

Veteran Affairs (VA) Phishing Scam

Scammers pose as Veterans Affairs employees to get access to personal information.

Update your File Scam

An imposter claiming to be from a government agency attempts to get a veteran’s personal information to “update their file” so they can maintain their benefits.

Aid and Attendance Scam

Veterans (or their family members) receive an offer to move their assets into a living trust so that they can qualify for financial assisted-living benefits.

Veterans Choice Program Scam

Scammers set up a phone number nearly identical to the number veterans dial to find out if they are eligible to use approved health care providers outside of the Veterans Affairs system. Veterans call the fake number and a message prompts them to leave their credit card information in return for a rebate. Make sure to dial the correct number for the VCP: 866-606-8198.

GI Bill Education Marketing Scam

Scammers use deceptive marketing tactics and provide false information to push expensive for-profit educational institutions to veterans seeking to take advantage of the GI Bill for college courses. The Veterans Affairs offers a comparison tool to help you locate a school and determine your benefits. Visitwww.vets.gov/education/gi-bill.

Special Deals for Veterans Scam

Scammers offer special discounts for veterans on a range of products, like loans and car purchases, but the products aren’t discounted at all, or they don’t actually exist.

Rental Scam

A scammer posts a fake rental property on a classified ad website offering discounts for active duty military and veterans. Once they have your security deposit, you find out there is no rental property and your money is gone.

Romance/”Catfishing” Scam

Scammers steal a veteran’s photo and create a phony profile on a dating site to “catfish” singles looking for love.

Most Common Scams Targeting Veterans, by State

Alaska

1. Credit Card 2. Charity 3. VA Loan/Tech Support

Alabama

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. Charity

Arkansas

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Arizona

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

California

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Colorado

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Connecticut

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support/IRS Tax 3. Charity

DC

1. Credit Card/IRS Tax 2. VA Loan/Tech Support 3. Phishing/Charity

Deleware

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Florida

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Georgia

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Hawaii

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Iowa

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Charity

Idaho

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax/Charity

Illinois

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Indiana

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Kansas

1. Tech Support 2. Credit Card 3. IRS Tax/Charity

Kentucky

1. IRS Tax 2. Credit Card 3. Charity

Louisiana

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Massachusetts

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. Charity

Maryland

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Maine

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support/IRS Tax 3. Charity/Other

Michigan

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Charity

Minnesota

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Missouri

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Mississippi

1. Tech Support 2. Charity/Credit Card 3. IRS Tax

Montana

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

North Carolina

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

North Dakota

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. Charity

Nebraska

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax/Charity

New Hampshire

1. Tech Support 2. Credit Card 3. IRS Tax

New Jersey

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

New Mexico

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Nevada

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

New York

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Ohio

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Oklahoma

1. Tech Support 2. Credit Card 3. IRS Tax

Oregon

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Pennsylvania

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Puerto Rico

1. Other 2. Phishing/VA Loan 3. Credit Card

Rhode Island

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax/Charity 3. Tech Support

South Carolina

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

South Dakota

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Tennessee

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Texas

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Utah

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. Charity

Virginia

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Tech Support

Vermont

1. Tech Support 2. Credit Card/Charity 3. IRS Tax

Washington

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Wisconsin

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

West Virginia

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Wyoming

1. Credit Card 2. IRS Tax 3. Charity/Phishing

Unknown

1. Credit Card 2. Tech Support 3. IRS Tax

Here what you should never do in these situations:

• Don’t give personal information
• Don’t give any personal information over the phone. This includes bank account numbers, credit card numbers and your Social Security number.
• Don’t send money
• Don’t send/wire money or gift cards to anyone you don’t know well.
• Don’t feel pressured
• Don’t be pressured to act immediately. If you are dealing with a legitimate outfit, they won’t try to pressure you to act before having a chance to check it out and think about it. If they do, just say “no” and hang up.

These are things you should always do in these situations

• Consult a friend
• Check out the offer with a trusted family member, friend or your local veteran’s affairs office before acting.
• Check the security
• Verify any charity asking for money before sending it. There are several online services veterans can use, such as the Better Business Bureau, Charity Navigator, CharityWatch and GuideStar.
• Do your homework
• Get credible information on how to qualify for veterans’ benefits by contacting your state veterans’ affairs agency. Visit www.nasdva.us, for additional information.