Commander's Corner
To all Membership,
The Early Bird Dinner and fellowship for all who pay their 2022 dues is rescheduled for 13 November 2021. I will pass more information at th 06 October 2021 meeting.
Our Legionnaires, Auxiliary and SAL breakout meetings are at 5:00pm before we have our Legion Family meeting at 6:00pm. Please contact your group leader for more information.
The Post will host a Christmas Bazaar on 06 November 2021, click here for link and additional information.
We've all heard the recent news coming from Afghanistan and pray for those left behind. We also pray for the safe return home of our deployed troops, our US citizens not evacuated and our Afghan allies. If you are or if you know any Veteran is crisis or needs to speak with someone because these events have triggered old thoughts. Please call 1 800 827 1000 ext: 7, or 1 800 273 8255 - press 1, or text 838255. Other usable links below.
Covid remains with us, please take cautions where needed. Aside from masks, washing hands/sanitation measures, and social distancing etc. Make time for family, friends and loved ones. Please get outdoors and enjoy some sort of in-person interaction.
Our prayers were answered in that the Post was spared from the wrath of Hurricane Ida. We did receive some roof damage and leakage into the display cabinet. We are in the process of a temporary patch and obviously repair for the long term.
We want to thank James Lafleur for putting up our Bingo signs, and coming in after Ida to clean up the Main Hall.
We still have Post family members and some Bingo players (who are a defacto extension of our Post family) in crisis with illness, and recovery from Hurricane Ida, we still ask for your continued prayers, they're helping - please continue.
As always thank you for you continued support of our Post.
Commander Rick
For God and Country
In Crisis Need Help or Want to Help Others?
Veterans
🇺🇸 If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, there are caring, qualified VA responders standing by to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
🇺🇸#NationalSuicidePreventionHotline
1-800-273-8255
#Veterans Press 1
#Text 838255
Police
#Police CONTACT: text #BADGE to 741741
www.copline.org 1-800-267-5463
First Responders
#FirstResponders. Contact 415-721-9789
http://www.frsn.org
Fire, Police, Corrections Coast to Coast 24/7
#FirstResponders. Contact 415-721-9789
http://www.frsn.org
Veterans Mental Health PTSD & Addiction Resources
Each year the month of June is National PTSD Awareness Month.
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car wreck, or sexual assault. It's normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after these type event (https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/what/ptsd_basics.asp). Reactions to such trauma are normal and healthy, they can and will last for an adjustment period.
Usually the aforementioned reactions begin within a month of the event and last up to a month or so – this normal reaction is appropriately called Acute Stress Reaction or Disorder. However, if symptoms last more than a few months, it may be PTSD. The good news is that there are effective treatments; the PTSD: National Center for PTSD is the world’s leading research and educational center on PTSD and traumatic stress. Their links:
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/index.asp
Obviously, the National Center for PTSD is the foremost site for knowledge and treatment referral for Veterans.
Brief story: I broke both of my heels, injured both elbows and shoulders, severely strained my sternum and rib cage, injured some internal organs blah blah. Point is I was medevac’d, hospitalized and treated. I did not have time to set up an appointment with the VA for treatment.
If you’re in a crisis you should seek immediate help – go to an Emergency Room, call a Clergy, trusted friend or a family member or at a minimum count to 10 repeatedly until you calm down and realize your purpose in life is greater than committing self-harm!
The American Addiction Centers (AAC) could be a viable option for you. The ACC is an established national organization that is dedicated to helping Veterans, non-Veterans and people of all walks of life with their mental health and substance abuse problems. An ACC affiliate is Mississippi’s own Oxford Treatment Center, home based in Etta, MS.
Both the AAC and Oxford Treatment Center offer free online resources. However, their treatment plans and counseling are fee based – meaning you have to pay for them. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires private and government-funded healthcare plans to provide coverage for substance abuse and other mental health problems. Be aware, what’s covered by each plan varies greatly. Purview the below links as reading resources only and as always conduct your own due diligence before entering into any for fee service agreement.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Addiction[oxfordtreatment.com] provides information on the signs & symptoms of PTSD, co-occurring disorders and treating substance abuse when you have PTSD.
- Veterans’ Mental Health Issues [veteranaddiction.org] discusses a range of veteran health concerns such as depression, PTSD, anxiety and substance abuse with interesting statistics related to each.
- Veteran Drug & Alcohol Rehab [americanaddictioncenters.org] gives statistics of U.S. veterans with substance addiction, how mental health and chronic pain affect addiction and additional support groups for veterans.
- The MISSION Act and Community Care Providers for Veterans[oxfordtreatment.com] looks at what the Mission Act is, how to use a Community Care Provider for substance treatment and addiction treatment options at the VA.
Oxford Treatment Center hosts free virtual support and online addiction meetings [oxfordtreatment.com] that many active duty members and veterans use to help support their recovery.
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