Issues

Military Veterans Make Ideal Candidates to Become Educators, DoD Should Work to Save and Restore Federal Troops to Teachers Program

As both the Veterans Administration (VA) and outside medical professionals and facilities look to expand access to mental health services to reach an even greater number of veterans and subsequently lessen the high rates of suicide within the population, the VA, the healthcare industry at-large and political leadership on the federal and state levels should continue to focus on greater efforts to reach rural veterans.

Women’s History Month provides an opportunity to reflect on the vast and varied achievements and contributions of American women throughout history, particularly military history where women warriors have played crucial roles in carrying out military operations dating back to the Revolutionary War.

The current global health crisis has presented a complex set of intersecting challenges unlike any witnessed in the history of humankind. COVID-19 has shaken the pillars of our humanity and, in the United States, tested the boundaries of our political landscape as deep divisions about how best to mitigate the spread of the virus and provide economic relief lay in stark contrast.

Americans proudly place importance on thanking those who have served our country in defense of our freedoms, but we also must recognize that we have an obligation to many whose lives have been changed through debilitating injuries.

In recent years the topic of military discharge has entered the public spotlight with the role of post-traumatic stress at the core of the discussion. Though mental health is required for consideration during the discharge process, recent media accounts criticize the extent to which mental health considerations are actually weighed.

As we honor those Americans who have sacrificed so much in the service of our country, we must do more to address a threat that stalks all too many of them: veteran suicide.

Most Americans understand the potential benefits of pursuing higher education. Though higher education may not be for everyone, it certainly provides its own set of additional opportunities for veterans as they return home from service and begin to transition – and ultimately adjust – to civilian life.

As the stigma surrounding mental health has continued to lessen in recent years, more of an emphasis has been placed on suicide prevention and as a result a number of programs have emerged to varying degrees of success.