How Can I Support Veterans and Active Duty Service Members?
Volunteer opportunities can range anywhere from offering to drive veterans to appointments to contributing at VA hospitals, to working at local food banks and shelters.
With Memorial Day in May, the Fourth of July today, and Veterans Day in close approach, there’s no better time to consider ways community members can pay our respects and support active and retired military personnel. In reality, this should be at the forefront of our nation's mind without the need for a holiday to remind us. So, let’s get started with the basics of understanding veterans and active duty service members and what they experience.
What Challenges Do Military Personnel Face?
Active duty service members experience frequent stress, anxiety, and physical challenges as extended deployments or training keep them separated from family for long periods of time. Not only this but both active duty service members and veterans face the inevitable challenge of transitioning to civilian life. This translates to consistent worry about future employment, education, and adjusting to a non-military environment.
Active and retired members of the military must cope with the inconsistency of living two separate lives (one while deployed and another at home) while also facing the physical and mental strain of living through high-stress situations. Most often, these experiences lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression, as well as a variety of potential physically hindering injuries. In fact, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans reports that nearly 3 in 10 disabled, retired veterans say that their disability hinders them from getting and keeping a job [NCHV Veteran Statistics]. They sacrifice so much for us, so what can we do for them?
Opportunities to Help or Donate
There are plenty of veteran non-profit organizations out there that dedicate their time (and funds) to ensuring veterans successfully transition to civilian life. Organizations such as Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) are some of the more common. And each of these organizations accept donations to their cause.
Other organizations such as the Friends of the Troops offer volunteer opportunities for community members and accept donated money to provide resources for active military personnel. If you’re looking at a specific charity but want to make sure it’s a good option, check out Charity Navigator—a website that evaluates charities based on financial health, accountability, and transparency.
American Red Cross: Connects veterans with critical community services and helps with VA applications.
Homes For Our Troops: Builds and donates specially adapted homes for wounded veterans.
Depending on where you donate, your funds can help pay for any and all of the following services for active or retired military service members:
- Veterans Transition Support
- Military Financial Counseling
- VA Loan
- VA Therapy
- VA Insurance
Volunteer Your Skills and Services
What are your skills and interests? Odds are something you enjoy doing is needed as a volunteer service. Make sure to choose something that fits your schedule that won’t be too under- or overwhelming. There are volunteer opportunities for everyone that come in all shapes and sizes. Reach out to your local veteran service organizations directly and ask what they need.
Volunteer opportunities can range anywhere from offering to drive veterans to appointments to contributing at VA hospitals, to working at local food banks and shelters. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is always looking for volunteers to help with a variety of tasks at local VA hospitals and clinics. National veteran service organizations such as the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) have local chapters that organize volunteer opportunities.
Still unsure where to start out? Consider visiting VolunteerMatch.org to get matched with service opportunities for veterans in your area. Other ways to show your support include spreading awareness as well as showing appreciation for everything that our military personnel do. It’s even likely you have a veteran in your family that fights very real battles every day even when they’re no longer active. Consider sharing some of Banzai’s resources with them: