Classes help veterans translate combat skills into civilian jobs

By Pauline Jelink

July 28, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. combat troops patrol dusty pathways in Afghanistan, look for hidden roadside bombs, load and fire mortar shells at insurgents’ positions. So when they come home, how will that help them land a civilian job?

That’s the kind of thinking the government wants to change, both among American employers and members of the armed forces.They can “be a mercenary,” muses Capt. John Rodriguez, who’ll leave the Army soon after six years.

In fact, the skills troops use in combat can be useful for many types of civilian jobs, but employers often don’t understand them and people leaving the military need help with presenting those skills or developing new ones.

Rodriguez was attending a recent resume-writing class, part of the Transition Assistance Program, which is run by the departments of Defense, Labor and Veteran Affairs to help soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines successfully make the transition back to the civilian world.

Some 250,000 service members leave the military each year and all must attend counseling on finances and other issues whether they served six years or 26 years, whether they saw the battlefield or not. The White House said this week that the program is being expanded and improved. Read more here…

Culinary Adventures with Cam

By Camilla M. Mann

As the weather heats up, most people cook less. I mean, they are still
cooking and serving the same number of meals, usually, but they are
less inclined to want to be in the kitchen. Who can blame them?
School's out, it's stay light later and I'd much rather be playing
catch at the park or on a bike ride with my kids. So, dinner seems to
get more simple during the summer: sandwiches that we can pack for a
beach picnic, something tossed on the grill that can cook while we
splash in the pool, or salads that are easy to toss together at the
last minute.

Here are a few ideas for those quick dinners after a long day of
summer adventuring.... Remember, these are just ideas, use whatever
fish or fruits that you have on hand!

An Appetizer -
Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs

A Main Dish -
Grilled Salmon with Fresh Meyer Lemon Salsa

A Dessert -
Grilled Apricots

Dental-care program gives veterans something to smile about

By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times

July 15, 2012

SAN DIEGO -- Two dentists and two Navy dental corpsmen are working on the mouth of John Gardinier, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam and now lives in Tijuana, Mexico, near the clinic where he can get methadone for his drug addiction.

"It's no good to have teeth that are rotten," Gardinier, 64, had said as he waited to be treated at the dental services area at the 25th annual Stand Down in San Diego for homeless and hard-luck military veterans. The relief effort brings together dozens of government agencies, nonprofits and volunteers to provide veterans with a variety of health and social services.

Dr. Ben Kim, a volunteer and former Army soldier, and Dr. Shay Razmi, head of the dental department at Naval Medical Center San Diego, hovered over Gardinier - aided by dental corpsmen Brock Frost and Joshua Fallick. 

Gardinier's remaining teeth show the ravages of age, drug addiction, smoking and lack of care. The pain from those teeth that are rotten and those that are worn to the roots had been intense and made it difficult for Gardinier to eat. Read more here…

Second Annual Silicon Valley Veterans Ball

Veterans Supportive Services Agency, Inc. (VSSA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization solely dedicated to providing life enhancing supportive services to US Armed Forces Veterans and their families.

VSSA is hosting its Second Annual Silicon Valley Veterans Ball on Saturday, September 15. Proceeds from the Ball will fund VSSA programs and services including these workshops: benefits and compensation; business writing and communication; basic computer skills; resume writing and interviewing skills.

Saturday, September 15
6:30 p.m. to Midnight

~ Entertainment by:
Tyler Hinz
David Nguyen
Brendan Lynch

~ Live music by The Touch Tones

~ 2012 VSSA Scholarship Recipient Announced

~ Silent Auction, Raffle Prizes

San Jose Airport Garden Inn
1740 North First Street
San Jose, CA 95112

For more information, or to purchase tickets, please visit vssainc.org

2012 VSSA Scholarship

Veterans Supportive Services Agency, Inc. Scholarship
Deadline: September 8, 2012
Award Value: $500

Veterans Supportive Services Agency, Inc. (VSSA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization solely dedicated to providing life enhancing supportive services to US Armed Forces Veterans and their families.

To be considered eligible for the Veterans Supportive Services Agency, Inc. Scholarship, please:
- Be a resident of Santa Clara County
- Be between the ages of 16 and 20 on September 8, 2012
- Be a child, grandchild or relative of a US Armed Forces Veteran
- Be willing to provide applicant’s relationship to US Armed Forces Veteran, include the Veteran’s Branch of Military Service (*DD214) and years of service with applicant’s contact information (*When sending a copy of the Veteran’s DD214, please black out private information, i.e., Social Security Number.)
- Have at least one full year of post secondary studies remaining at the time of the award
- Have a GPA of 2.5 or greater
- Provide a copy of official school transcripts
- Provide a resume including extracurricular work or community service (strongly recommended). You can also create a LinkedIn profile and connect with Tito A. Cortez, Executive Director of VSSA.
- Provide a letter of recommendation from a teacher, professor, employer who can testify to your aptitude for academic scholarship
- Find our Facebook page and ‘like’ us

Finalists will be interviewed by the VSSA Scholarship Selection Committee the week of September 10, 2012. The scholarship recipient will be announced at the Second Annual Silicon Valley Veterans Ball on Saturday, September 15, 2012. Recipient’s submission and photographs (if present at the Ball) will be posted on-line after the event. All applications must be postmarked and/or received by 11:59 p.m. PDT on September 8, 2012. No late applications will be accepted.

"Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." – John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States

Essay Question #1:
Explain in 500 words or less what President Kennedy's quote means to you. Note this should not just be stated. You must provide an argument supporting this statement.

Essay Question #2:
Explain in 500 words or less why you think you should be granted the Veterans Supportive Services Agency, Inc. Scholarship.

Every essay must contain three essential elements:
1. The essay must provide a summary statement (in the introductory paragraph). The summary statement must encapsulate the main argument for the paper. It must be clear and coherent, and it must answer the question put forth on the application. 2. The essay must offer supporting evidence. The writer must provide the supporting evidence in paragraph (not “bullet” or list) form. Each paragraph must contain evidence that supports one idea or concept that proves the summary statement. The writer must provide citations (in footnote, endnote, or parenthetical form) for all evidence presented. 3. Every essay must follow basic rules of format and grammar. Every paper must contain a beginning (introductory paragraph), a middle (several supporting paragraphs that comprise the body of the paper), and an end (concluding paragraph). Grammar is vital for essay composition. Sentence fragments, misspellings, and improper punctuation denote a carelessly-written and poorly-conceived paper.

APPLICANT’S CONTACT INFORMATION
Name
Address City, State, Zip Code
Phone number
Email Address

SCHOOL CONTACT INFORMATION
Current School School Address and Phone Number

Please submit your application by September 8, 2012 to:
2012 VSSA Scholarship
Noble House
14630 Noble Ave
San Jose, CA 95132

Questions? Please contact info@vssainc.org. For more information about VSSA, please visit vssainc.org

Culinary Adventures with Cam: Keep it Fresh

By Camilla M. Mann

I read an article recently about keeping your brain active by doing
things a little bit differently, including cooking with a new-to-you
ingredient. Challenge yourself. You'll expand your culinary repertoire
and give your brain a workout in the meantime.

So, last week, I decided to try something new to us. I, very
uncharacteriscally, didn't cook dinner!

Instead I did a completely RAW dinner with four different dishes and
one dessert: Zucchini Pasta, Spiced Pineapple, Avocado Carpaccio,
Minted Heirloom Tomatoes, and Chocolate-Avocado Mousse. Check it out here

Veteran Paralympian Jones to lead US Paralympic cycling team

By David Gold

June 29, 2012

United States Paralympics has announced its nominations for its London 2012 cycling team, which will be led by five-times Paralympian Allison Jones.

Among the team are three US military veterans, including Beijing 2008 gold medalists Jennifer Schuble and Oz Sanchez, and former Navy recruit Steve Peace. Read more here…

Team USA loaded with Soldiers for London Olympic Games

June 26, 2012

By Tim Hipps, Army Installation Management Command 

EUGENE, Ore. (June 26, 2012) -- The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program will send its strongest contingent of athletes and coaches to the 2012 Olympic Games in London since the program's inception in 1997.

Eleven World Class Athlete Program, or WCAP, coaches and athletes already have qualified to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Several more are competing for spots on Team USA at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials in Eugene, Ore., which began June 21 and concludes July 1.

WCAP provides Soldier-athletes the support and training needed to successfully compete in Olympic sports on the national and international levels, including the winter and summer Olympics, Pan American Games, world championships and at the Conseil International du Sport Militaire.

The Soldier-athletes serve as ambassadors for the U.S. Army by promoting the service to the world and assisting with recruiting and retention efforts. Since 1948, more than 600 Soldiers have represented the U.S. as Olympic athletes and coaches. They have collected more than 140 medals in a variety of sports, including boxing, wrestling, rowing, shooting, bobsled and track and field. Read more here…

The State Of Affairs For Veterans Seeking Jobs

June 27, 2012

Unemployment rates among veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are higher that their non-veteran counterparts, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, retired Army Gen. Eric Shinseki speaks with host Melissa Block about the challenges for veterans in today's job market. Listen here...

Angela Madsen helps veterans heal through sports

By Foon Rhee, Associate editor
Sacramento Bee

July 1, 2012

Noah Bailey didn't want to say much about how he lost both his legs to a roadside bomb in Afghanistan 6 1/2 years ago, or how he's tried to cope since.

That was before Angela Madsen, a fellow veteran twice his age, patiently tutored him on the finer points of the shot put: the hip turn, the chest thrust, the push off the fingertips for a higher arc. Strapped into a padded chair anchored in a Sacramento field, with only his right prosthetic leg on the ground for leverage, Bailey threw farther and farther as Madsen, one of the world's best in her event, encouraged him. Read more here…

Bernard James, 27-year-old Air Force veteran, gets ‘U-S-A!’ chant after he’s drafted by Dallas

Bernard James, 27-year-old Air Force veteran, gets ‘U-S-A!’ chant after he’s drafted by Dallas (VIDEO)

By Dan Devine | Ball Don't Lie

June 29, 2012

Second-round picks often wind up being footnotes in the NBA draft. But Bernard James — chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 33rd overall pick in Thursday night's 2012 NBA draft, then flipped to the Dallas Mavericks as part of a draft-night deal — isn't your typical second-round pick.

The 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward/center was not considered a top-flight prospect entering Thursday's draft, despite leading the Florida State Seminoles in rebounding and blocked shots during both of his seasons in Tallahassee, earning a spot on the ACC's All-Defensive Team and an honorable mention for the all-conference team in his final year, and helping FSU to its first ACC conference championship in school history. His second-round status was attributable, in large part, to the fact that he's 27 years old.

See, before turning his attention to basketball, James spent six years in the United States Air Force, rising to the rank of staff sergeant and serving tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar. The fans in attendance at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., recognized and celebrated James' service on Thursday night, chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!" as the veteran strode up to the stage to shake hands with NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, who presides over the second round of the draft. In a draft largely devoid of drama or intrigue, it was, without question, the coolest and most stirring moment of the evening. Read more here...

On our way to Independence...

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.- John Adams, in a letter to his wife, Abigail