Lessons Learned: Veteran Affairs

As I near the end of my semester in my Specialized Reporting for the TV and Web course, I realize how far I have come since the beginning of that first class. I remember sitting in that chair thinking to myself how hard it would be to get through a class reporting on a topic I know virtually nothing about. Contrary to my beliefs, I can finally say I have reached the end of the course I was somewhat dreading and have come a significant way. Reflecting on everything I have accomplished has led me to believe I can do anything I put my mind to. I learned a lot of valuable information about veteran affairs that I had no clue about before and met a lot of nice individuals along the way. Throughout the course, we had to come up with three story ideas from Salisbury's veteran community and execute them in a timely fashion. Here are two of the stories I did and the outlook I had after completing them:

Veterans & Meals on Wheels

This was the very first topic I decided to tackle for my story assignment. We as a class were required to define a specific problem veterans as a whole face. I’ve always had a passion for food, so I wanted to try and find a topic that specifically dealt with vterans in this. While doing research, I found came across the Meals on Wheels Association of America and how they deliver meals to seniors who are either too old to cook for themselves or are disabled. I ended up finding alocal station here in Salisbury to visit for my story. They informed me that a lot of veterans utilize their services, but they could be left starving because of federal budget cuts known as the sequester. After finding out this information, I thought it would be important to meet some of these seniors face-to-face. I ended up having the opportunity to ride with a Meals on Wheels driver, Wayne Earp, as he delivered meals to about 30 seniors. It was truly an eye opening experience to see struggling veterans in need of a meal as well as a gracious human being delivering meals to them. I ultimately walked away with a sense of gratitude for this organization and their work as well as a hope for a bright future for the program.

Veteran Disabilities – Voiceless Piece

Salisbury has a huge veteran community, which I was very unaware of. Almost anywhere you go in the city, everyone seems to either know a Veteran personally or are knowledgeable about an issue they face. Even though this population is huge, there are still some issues that get swept under the rug and aren’t brought to public attention. Some of these include sexual assault in the military and even children of veterans. The issue I decided to tackle was disabled veterans. We hear a lot about parties or get-togethers of veterans returning home after war, but it’ rare to hear the issues they face afterward. It’s been a struggle for a while for these veterans to get the benefits they need and deserve, especially here in Maryland. As I talked to veteran James Somers, he also told me that VA clinics around the area get crowded often and the staffing is not adequate to the number of patients. Overall though, he says he’s had no real problems himself, but he definitely sees improvements that need to be made. After talking with Somers as well as community officials, the issue of disabled veterans and benefits they deserve continues to be a hurdle needed to conquer. I believe at some point this will be brought out to the forefront as many people continue to fight for their rights.

Those were some adages from the stories I did during my time in this amazing course. I learned so much valuable information about veterans that I wouldn’t have known at all if not for this class. I encourage anyone reading this blog to get out into their communities and find some veterans to talk to. It really gives you an appreciation for the service they have given for the country they love. Check out some of my work below!

 

Homeless Veterans

           Homelessness is a serious issue. The fact that homelessness is affecting our Veteran communities makes this an even bigger problem. When the people who put their lives on the line to serve our country come back to the United States, finding a place to lay their head should be the least of their worries. Unfortunately, this is the reality, affecting more than 60,000 veterans nationally according to a January 2012 national census. This number has the potential of getting even higher since this time because of the recent influx of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

            After seeing this as a major issue, Governor Jerry Brown of California recently signed a number of bills to help combat homelessness among these veterans. California makes up a quarter of the homeless veteran population in our country. In fact, there are over 1200 homeless veterans in the cities of Santa Clara and San Jose alone. Imagine how many more are in this country, let alone the state itself. With this in mind, voters in California will head to the polls in June to vote on legislation that will allow the state to use $600 million of current military bond funds for multifamily housing. This bill, along with about a dozen others will go toward helping homeless veterans find housing.

            My main reason for even exploring this topic is because I recently came in direct contact with some homeless individuals. Locally here in Salisbury, a homeless shelter called Halo operates completely off of donations to provide housing for homeless people. Although it was not disclosed to me if some of them were veterans or not, due to confidentiality, the issue as a whole still stuck in my head. The shelter looks like an old strip mall from the outside, but inside the remodeled space are over one-hundred beds for women and children to stay and a spotless cafeteria and pantry to provide food for any homeless person. Their main goal is to provide a service to these people all while spreading the message of Christ.

            And as important as giving a service to anyone while providing the message of Christ is, many people still give a stigma to homelessness especially in veterans. Not all homeless veterans look like the same middle-aged white male who is single. Some veteran you may come in contact with are homeless and you may not even know it. The video below profiles about three homeless veterans in the California area who have completely different stories. It was made by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in an effort to attract an interest from the public for help. After seeing this video, will you make a contribution to help a growing issue? Do you think homelessness is really as big as an issue as reports are saying? Take a look at the video below. 

V.F.W. - A Community Undivided

      Imagine coming back home from and extended stay in a foreign country, but not having any familiar faces to welcome you or a person to connect with. Well, for many veterans who return home from war, this is the sad reality. Thankfully, though there are organizations and friendly people to help with this growing issue. One of these safe-havens is the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). 

      The first VFW post was established in 1899 in Denver, Colorado. It has since extended its posts to more than 7,000 in all throughout the United states. About 1.5 billion people make up the the membership of all the posts in the country.  This proves that millions of people, specifically veterans, are yearning for and are in need of special attention. This is where the VFW plays a huge role. 

      Many veterans are left with a very sad look at life after returning form war. The issues that some of these them face are very disturbing and could even lead to death. Having someone to connect with in a social setting is a great reliever. Also, having places like the VFW can provide this and much more. The organization even goes as far as helping vets find jobs and paying bills. There are also numerous social gatherings and events for these vets to take part in. A lot of veterans would be left in the dark without the VFW. 

      I got the chance to visit the local post here in Salisbury and it opened my eyes to how effective one of these places can be. It was the first time I had ever heard of a VFW or even been, so it was a completely new experience. Although empty at the time, the awards that adorned the wall definitely were not in shortage. After speaking with the commander of the post, Howard Adams, it was clear how much of an impact the post has had on this community. Some of the awards on the walls belonged to him because of his long service. As you can imagine, he has seen a lot of veterans come through his post. He even said that a lot of veterans come to this specific post struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. He said just having a place where they can talk and have some fun really helps them cope. 

      Check out the video below to see the real impact that one person can have if they get a vision. Football player Troy Polamalu decided to stand up for veterans that weren't being heard. Known for his long locks, he was inspired to cut a portion of his hair off, which in turn prompted a movement; The Mane Event. He then makes the challenge to the rest of America to get involved with the cause. 

      So what will you stand for? Do you support vets like Polamalu? Or are you more passionate about another subject? Whatever the case, I would challenge you to get involved and make a difference!

Cancer in Camoflage

Courtesy: buckedupapparel.com

      As I walk through the Salisbury community this month, it is hard not to notice the sea of pink paraphernalia surrounding me. After further investigation, I realized it's all to raise awarness of a disease that takes the life of thousands of people each year. This disease, breast cancer, is a silent killer that can go undetected before the symptoms and side effects become too much to handle. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which, yes, means seeing a sea of pink everywhere we go, but it's something much bigger than that. Breast cancer knows no one type of person or personality; not even military personnel. In fact, cases of breast cancer in particular are among the rise in both women and men in the armed forces, and it doesn't seem to be getting much better.
      According to an article I ran across by Natural News, military personnel are actually counted among the lowest in statistics when it comes to most cancers such as cervical or lung cancer. This is not the case when it comes to breast cancer, though. Each day, there are more and more cases of breast cancer rising in the military. From current officers to veterans, no one is immune.When it comes to gender, women are contracting the disease at an incresing rate. Believe it or not, women in the military are about 20-40 percent more likely to contract breast cancer than a normal civilian female. According to researchers, this is most likely because women in the force are bound to hold some type of industrial job, thus exposing them to many more harmful chemicals than the normal person.
      What about MEN, you ask? Well, just because there is a stigma of women being directly related to breast cancer, the disease is also prevalent amongst their male counterpart. According to an article in the Guardian Express, only one percent of the male population suffers from breast cancer, but that's still a significant number of about 2,000 cases each year. With the disease being prevalent in males from about 60 to 70 years of age, many military vets are at risk of developing the cancer. Just as the women, the disease is most likely brought upon by chemical reactors in the air, which come from active duty.
      You're probably asking yourself the question, "Why don't military personnel take action if they are being unrightfully exposed to these chemicals?" Well, take the case of Boswell, a 20-year old Army Vietnam helicopter pilot. After attending a reunion with his unit, he discovered that 6 of the 70 women deployed developed breast cancer along with about six others who had suspicious lumps in their breasts. This prompted Boswell to urge officials to rule breast cancer in the military as a service-related disability. This would give victims some benifits during treatment from the Veterans Administration.
      What do you think? Do you believe it's the right of the military to take responsibility for a disease they may be making their members succeptible to? It's definitely a topic to be discussed, especially when most problems within the military tend to fade away. Most of them getting lost in translation like the camoflage clothing on their backs.

Military Endeavors

      Military Veterans?! What do I know about military veterans and how am I going to pass a class that's specializing in this topic?? These were the exact thoughts running through my head as I looked through the syllabus on the first day of class.
      I'm the type of person that likes to be one step ahead of the game and be knowledgeable in any field prior to a challenge being given. In this case, I was thrown a complete proverbial curve ball, which I am still trying to catch in a way. Believe it or not though, just in the past couple weeks, I have learned a great deal about Military and Veteran Affairs which I didn't know before.
      The military in itself is a huge part of our society, especially at this time when troops are arriving back in the states and some are even being deployed as we speak. Getting this topic for our class was scary at first, but the knowledge that will come from it will certainly be helpful. Not only will it be useful to me as an aspiring journalist, but I will go on multiple journeys and meet numerous people who I haven't before and hear their stories firsthand. That's what prompted the title of my blog; "Journaled Journeys".
      The places I go and the people I meet will all be documented right here in a very candid way that will give major insight into Veteran affairs. One question remains, though. How will I meet these people and find these stories? Let's find out.
      Throughout my couple of years doing internships and volunteer work, I have been given numerous tips of advice from many professionals in the business. I've always wondered how top-notch reporters find great stories that seem to be a big hit with the public and generate a lot of interest. I'm not speaking of your murders or homicides; those are bound to be covered because crime is always a hot topic. I'm speaking of those personal stories that really connect with the viewer and evoke some type of emotion. That's the golden pot at the end of the rainbow that I am always searching for and sometimes come up short.
       After reading a very insightful article titled "Covering Communities", it all came together and started to make sense. Reporters are essentially the voice of a community. For that voice to be effective, it takes action and initiative. The initiative to get out of your bubble and reach out to the surrounding area for stories and voices that normally would not be heard. The article talks about going to "third places" and getting out of your comfort zone to speak to people you normally would not. Easy enough right? As simple as it may seem, it can also be a daunting and nerve-raking task, but the benefits are worth it. Another topic discussed in the article is being a part of the virtual community. We all know our world is completely digitalized and to completely ignore the fact that it's right at our fingertips would be foolish. Making sure we check blogs and message boards is an essential to any reporter. A lot of community information is streamed through the internet and finding extraordinary individuals to feature in a story can be found right here.  
      As I dive into this class, I believe this is the bread and butter to being successful. There are so many issues Military Vets face such as financial, technological, political, and mental problems. Exploring and finding these stories will most likely not be accomplished by staying in our college campus bubble. So, my challenge to you is to find story or greater issue in your community that may not be getting a voice that needs it. Get up and get out! I most definitely will and feel free to come on this ride with me and as I journal my journeys each step of the way.