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Tag: veterans

DeWine Announces Program Providing Hiring Bonus for Military Members and Spouses to Work in Schools

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) Director Stephen Dackin, and Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) Director Maj. Gen. (U.S. Army, retired) Deborah Ashenhurst today introduced an initiative to encourage military members to continue their call to service by working in Ohio schools.

Through the new Military Recruit Award program, schools can now offer a $3,000 hiring bonus for service members, veterans, and their spouses to join the education workforce in Ohio.

“In Ohio, we are proud to support members of the military and their families,” said Governor DeWine. “This program is not only a win for our service members, but also for our students. What they will gain from these heroes goes beyond textbooks. They will have a front row seat to learn about important life values like duty, integrity, respect, and courage. I look forward to seeing the positive benefits our Military Recruit Award will bring to entire communities.”

The Military Recruit Award is designed to support public school districts, community schools, independent STEM schools, and joint vocational school districts in their efforts to recruit Ohioans involved in the military. This includes eligible service members, veterans, and their spouses.

DEW will reimburse districts or schools that provide a $3,000 hiring bonus to military individuals who remain employed with the school for at least one year.

DEW will offer a $1,500 bonus to the school or the district for hiring and recruiting an eligible military individual.

Click here to learn more about the award and eligibility requirements

“Individuals from our military exemplify service, leadership, collaboration, and many other skills that translate to and strengthen the education profession,” said Director Dackin. “The Military Recruit Award will boost Ohio’s education communities by attracting and retaining these revered individuals to careers in education.”

“I am grateful for the Military Recruit Award, which is yet another example of how Ohio values military service and the unique skillsets of veterans and those currently serving,” added Director Ashenhurst. “A strong sense of values, discipline, and teamwork make veterans and military members ideal for influencing the development and education of Ohio’s children. This program will be a path to a successful career transition for many Ohio veterans.”

Award applications are now being accepted. For more information, visit DEW’s Ohio Military Veteran Educators Program Recruiting Initiative webpage.

Jul 12, 2024
As Memorial Day arrives, bill unveiled in Congress to assist Purple Heart recipients

BY: ASHLEY MURRAY – Ohio Capital Journal

WASHINGTON — When a Purple Heart recipient named Pat reached out to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in November to inform her that he couldn’t transfer his GI bill benefits to his children, he wasn’t expecting congressional action to solve the problem.

He simply just wanted to let the Washington state Democrat know, he told States Newsroom in an exclusive interview.

With a child about to head to college, Pat, who didn’t want his last name used, had recently been told by the Army that he couldn’t transfer his education benefits to them because he received the Purple Heart after he was medically discharged. This rule does not apply to those who receive the medal while still in service.

Murray and Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, introduced a bipartisan bill Thursday aimed at closing that loophole.

The legislation, titled the Purple Heart Veterans Education Act, would permit retroactive award recipients who served on or after Sept. 11, 2001 to transfer their education benefits to one or more dependents. It was unveiled just ahead of Memorial Day, when the nation honors its deceased service members.

“As the daughter of a Purple Heart recipient, I’ve seen firsthand the enormous sacrifices Purple Heart veterans make to defend our freedoms, and I feel strongly that we should be doing absolutely everything we can to help all veterans and their families thrive,” Murray said in a statement Thursday.

“It doesn’t make any sense that service members who are awarded a Purple Heart after their service can’t transfer their GI benefits to their dependents, while those who receive it during their service can—and I am grateful to Pat, my constituent in Washington state who brought this gap in the law to my attention,” continued Murray, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.

“Our legislation will close this loophole and allow more children of Purple Heart veterans to further their education. I want to thank Senator Tillis for joining me on this legislation and I’ll be working hard to get it passed into law.”

Glitch in education benefits

Pat was medically discharged from the U.S. Army and retroactively received a Purple Heart for his actions during Iran’s retaliatory missile barrage in January 2020 on an Iraq airbase, after a U.S. drone strike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

The Army later approved 39 Purple Hearts for service members who experienced the attack, according to a December 2021 report by the Army Times.

As his teenager looks to enroll at Central Washington University next year, Pat found out that by law his education benefits would only be available for transfer if he had received the award while still in service.

“My thought was, ‘I doubt that legislators would have done that intentionally.’ I just thought, you know, people probably just didn’t think about how that happens — that some people are going to get retroactive Purple Hearts, or for whatever reason in evaluating them, they’re delayed. So it’s not like an unusual thing,” Pat said in a phone interview.

“I wasn’t thinking much was going to happen, but I just wanted to write Senator Murray, who is my local senator, and let her know the issue. They responded by saying, ‘That’s an oversight on our part, and we want to make good on that.’”

Pat said he’s “grateful for Sen. Murray” and hopes his action is able to help other Purple Heart veterans. For now, his family is moving forward with the college enrollment process for his child, he said.

Benefits and dependents

Among the provisions in the legislation, Murray and Tillis’ bill would also allow veterans to split up 36 months worth of benefits to each of their dependents. For example, they could transfer 20 months to one and 16 months to another.

The bill, if enacted, would also prohibit the benefits from being treated as marital property or a marital estate asset.

And, the bill would permit dependents to access unused benefits if their veteran family member has died.

“Purple Heart recipients are heroes who honorably served our country at great costs, and this oversight that prevents servicemembers who received this distinguished award after their service from transferring their GI bill benefits to their dependents needs to be corrected immediately,” Tillis said in a statement Thursday.

“I am proud to co-introduce this commonsense legislation with Senator Murray to close this loophole and ensure every Purple Heart recipient and dependents are able to further their education,” continued Tillis, who also sits on the Senate’s Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

The number of veterans who retroactively received the Purple Heart after their post-9/11 service is unclear. The bill is estimated to cost $500,000 in mandatory spending over 10 years, according to an informal analysis provided to Murray’s office by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The bill has received praise from veterans groups, including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

“Unfortunately, not every veteran’s service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States of America is fully recognized while they’re still in uniform,” IAVA CEO and Iraq War veteran Allison Jaslow said in a statement Thursday.

“The Purple Heart Veterans Education Act ensures that those veterans who’ve endured bodily harm on behalf of our nation, but weren’t recognized for it until their service concluded, are able to turn that recognition into an investment in the education of their loved ones.”

More Purple Heart recipients

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have “greatly increased” the number of Purple Heart recipients as the Department of Defense has added some traumatic brain injuries as a recognized condition for the award, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

It wasn’t until a 2017 law that Purple Heart recipients were able to receive full post-9/11 GI Bill benefits regardless of their length of service. Previously, the recipients had to have 36 months of active service.

The Department of Defense does not maintain a record of the number of recipients, according to the CRS, but by law they do maintain a publicly accessible list with the permission of the veteran or next of kin.

Military historians and the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor estimate about 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded since 1932. The Army Historical Foundation estimated as of 2016 that 30,000 Purple Hearts had been awarded since 2001. The CRS cited this statistic.

ASHLEY MURRAY

Ashley Murray covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include domestic policy and appropriations.

Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

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May 27, 2024
Warren County Veterans: Need a ride?

Loveland, Ohio – Veterans and dependents of Warren County can be transported at no cost to any local doctors office or VA medical center for their appointments. Please contact their office as soon as you receive your medical appointment. To take advantage of the transportation service, proof of eligibility is required (DD214).

Transportation Coordinator – Jim Plagge – 513-695-2708
Assistant Coordinator – Justin Mcghee – 513-695-2738

Apr 22, 2024
Clermont County offers advice: Protecting Ohio’s Military Veterans

Clermont CountyRecorder, Deborah Clepper cautions Veterans to be aware of exploitative practices

Clermont County, Ohio – Clermont County Recorder, Deborah Clepper, and the Ohio Recorders’ Association (ORA) urges Veterans to be aware of exploitative practices targeting Military Veterans who are being charged for services that are available for FREE.

She says that DD214 Direct, a company based in Arizona, is currently soliciting veterans in Ohio to purchase a copy of their DD214 form for a fee ranging from $79 to $99. While this practice may be legal, Deborah Clepper and other County Recorders across Ohio want to ensure that Veterans are informed about the free services they are entitled to.

Veterans can obtain a free copy of their military records through their local Veteran’s Service Commission as well as record their DD214 at their local County Recorder’s office at no charge.

The DD214 form is essential for veterans to access benefits like VA loans, disability compensation, and reduced medical costs.

In recent months, Recorders offices across Ohio have received DD214 forms (paid for by veterans) from DD214 Direct through the mail, along with a limited Power of Attorney granting the Recorder the authority to file both documents on behalf of the veteran.

To safeguard veterans from exploitative, unnecessary fees and inform the public, the ORA is working to promote awareness among Veterans about these practices. Furthermore, the ORA is currently looking into potential legislation aimed at regulating companies like DD214 Direct and mandating the disclosure of the availability of these services at no charge.

Veterans can request a copy of their DD214 at The National Archives website below: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records

For more information or assistance, contact the Clermont County Recorder’s Office at:

(513) 732-7236 or the Clermont County Veterans Service Commission at (513) 732-7363. https://www.clermontcountyveterans.com/

Apr 15, 2024
Ohio BMV will refund disabled veterans after incorrectly charging for license plates

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Photo from Wikimedia Commons by “Mister Upstate.”

BY: MEGAN HENRY – Ohio Capital Journal

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles will issue refunds to nearly 2,000 disabled veterans who were wrongly charged for specialty license plates.

The BMV recently realized it did not implement a change in Ohio law that went into effect in October 2019 that allows certain disabled veterans to receive up to two free disabled veteran license plates/military license plates, the BMV said in a release Thursday.

The average refund will be $60, although the exact amount of each refund will vary based on local fees and taxes.

“The BMV deeply regrets this error,” Charlie Norman, Ohio BMV Registrar, said in a news release. “We are undertaking an internal review to determine why the legislative change wasn’t adopted in a timely manner to ensure that this will not happen in the future.”

The BMV will be contacting all veterans who were improperly charged and refunds will be processed within the next month. The BMV is implementing a “processing change” so veterans who qualify for free disabled and military license plates are not charged in the future.

The law applied to veterans with a service-connected disability who are declared 100% disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and does not apply to personalized specialty disabled/military license plates.

Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Twitter.

MEGAN HENRY

Megan is a reporter for the Ohio Capital Journal.

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Apr 3, 2023
D.C. nears Jan. 6 anniversary with warnings about extremism, awards for courage
BY: ARIANA FIGUEROA Ohio Capital Journal – JANUARY 5, 2023 2:58 PM

WASHINGTON – On the eve of the second anniversary of the U.S. Capitol insurrection, congressional Democrats and dozens of veterans on Thursday in a press conference called on incoming House Republican leaders to condemn political violence and hold their members who supported the attack accountable for their actions.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is scheduled on Friday to host a ceremony where he will speak about the Jan. 6 attack, and award medals to a dozen people who “demonstrated courage and selflessness during a moment of peril for our nation,” according to a White House official.

They will include:
- Election workers Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman of Fulton County, Georgia, who were targeted by Trump administration officials and falsely accused of voter fraud.
- Rusty Bowers, the former speaker of the Arizona House who resisted pressures to overturn 2020 election results.
- Jocelyn Benson, the Michigan secretary of state who faced armed protesters outside her home when she resisted pressure over election results.
- Al Schmidt, a former GOP commissioner in Philadelphia and member of the Philadelphia County Board of Elections who during the 2020 election faced threats for defending the integrity of the election.
At the veterans’ press event near the Capitol Reflecting Pool, House members Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey talked about how their values to uphold democracy started with their military service when they took an oath to protect the Constitution.

They voiced their concerns about how many veterans were part of the Jan. 6 mob.

“When you raise your right hand, and you take that oath to give everything to your country, that is a lifetime commitment,” Crow said. “A lifetime commitment and uniform, but continuing to fight for and preserve our democracy, and never has that been more important than the era that we live in right now.”

Extremism worries

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn., with military veterans at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Houlahan spoke at a press conference about the second anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol calling on the House Republican majority to denounce political violence. Photo by Ariana Figueroa/States Newsroom.

House Democrats have held hearings and issued reports that have shown the growing worries about extremism among veterans and have recommended the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs protect veterans from those groups. Separately, an analysis by NPR found that 1 in 5 of the defendants charged for their involvement in the riot were veterans.

“While the individuals who descended upon and disrespected these storied halls represent a very small fringe faction of the population, it is no secret that they were inspired by some of the most senior officials in our government who failed to accept the results of the 2020 election,” said Houlahan.

She, Crow and Sherrill were in the House chamber during the insurrection, when hundreds of pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to prevent members of Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election.

President Donald Trump was impeached for a second time for his role in the insurrection, and a special committee investigating the attack unanimously voted to refer him and others to the Justice Department for potential criminal charges, including inciting or aiding an insurrection.

The special House panel investigating Jan. 6 found that Trump was directly involved in efforts to pressure state officials in Georgia, Arizona and elsewhere to overturn the 2020 election results in their states.

White House awards

Michael Fanone, who served as a Metropolitan Police Department Officer and defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, suffering injuries, spoke at a press conference on the second anniversary of the attack on the Capitol, calling on the House Republican majority to denounce political violence. Photo by Ariana Figueroa/States Newsroom.

This will be the first time Biden will give out the Presidential Citizens Medal, which is awarded to individuals who have done an extraordinary act of service for the United States or fellow Americans.

Among the recipients will be Eugene Goodman, the U.S. Capitol Police officer who is credited with diverting rioters from the Senate floor, allowing senators and staff to evacuate.

The president will also posthumously award a medal to the late Brian Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who was injured while responding to the Jan. 6 attack and later died.

Michael Fanone, a Metropolitan Police Department Officer who responded to the Jan. 6 attack and was injured, will also receive a medal. Fanone later resigned, and has continued to put pressure on congressional Republicans to acknowledge their role in spreading the false narrative that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

He most recently sent a letter signed by more than 1,000 veterans to top Republican leaders on Wednesday, calling on them to denounce political violence and the Jan. 6 attack.

Fanone, who was at the press event, said he wants MAGA Republicans to know “that myself and thousands, tens of thousands of veterans and members of the law enforcement community are paying very close attention to the things that they’ve said.”

He singled out Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Kevin McCarthy of California, who is struggling to garner enough votes to secure the position of speaker of the House.

“This type of chaos will happen every single day in the House as some of the most extreme politicians our country has ever seen hold our democracy hostage,” Fanone said about the speaker race that has continued for three days.

Without a speaker, no members of Congress can be sworn in and the chamber cannot conduct government business such as committee meetings or constituent services.

(McCarthy elected House speaker in rowdy post-midnight vote.)

The veterans’ press conference was hosted by Courage for America, an initiative organized by progressives to speak out against extremism and counter the GOP House, and Common Defense, a grassroots organization that works to promote progressive ideas in the veteran community.

A ‘new sense of hope’

Sherrill, who served in the Navy for nine years, said she remembers being crouched in the House gallery, a cell phone in one hand, calling her loved ones, and a gas mask in the other.

“I had this great sense of sorrow that it had come to this,” she said about veterans who attacked the Capitol. “The other side of my brain had really a sense of rage. How dare they?”

“And yet as I sit here today … I think about how far we’ve come with the January 6 hearings,” she said, adding that many people who ran as election deniers lost their campaigns.

“I feel a new sense of hope,” Sherrill said. “Our democracy is stronger and more resilient than ever, and so it’s with almost a sense of joy, that I start this new term in Congress, because I know the American people have our back.”
Jan 7, 2023
U.S. House passes bill expanding health care, benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits

BY: JENNIFER SHUTT – Ohio Capital Journal

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown speaks at a press conference on legislation to provide health care for veterans exposed to burn pits on June 7, 2022. Susan Weber Zeier of Sandusky is on the far right of the photo. Photo by Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill Wednesday to expand health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits overseas, sending the package back to the U.S. Senate after making a minor change.

Senators, who broadly support the landmark package led by Montana Sen. Jon Tester and Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, are expected to quickly clear the measure for President Joe Biden’s signature. The House vote was 342-88.

Biden, who has linked his son Beau’s death from a brain tumor in 2015 to exposure to burn pits, has repeatedly called on Congress to address the illnesses and deaths linked to toxic exposure.

“What I found with my son, what I found with my friends, what I found with the generation of Vietnam: There’s this notion that you shouldn’t ask for anything,” Biden said in March while at a resource center in Fort Worth, Texas.

“You should be asking. You should be letting us know. You should let us know what is bothering you, what is the problem, because we owe it to you,” Biden continued.

Delayed by dispute

The Senate approved the legislation last month following an 84-14 vote, but House approval was delayed while members of the Veterans’ Affairs Committees worked out a dispute over a provision designed to boost staff in rural areas.

The language would have allowed the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department to buy certain health care providers out of their contracts if they took offers to work for at least four years at “rural or highly rural facilities.” The provision also said that the money for the buyouts “shall not be considered a taxable benefit or event for the covered health care professional.”

Lawmakers on the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee cited a so-called blue slip issue, since a tax provision cannot originate in the Senate.

After substantial back-and-forth about how to fix the problem, the House Rules Committee opted to remove the provision this week, before sending a new, slightly altered bill to the floor.

Bipartisan acclaim

House debate on the legislation Wednesday was broadly bipartisan, with the vast majority of lawmakers speaking in support of the package.

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Iowa Republican, said she has “seen firsthand the effects that toxic exposure has had” on her fellow service members following her 24-year military career.

“Exposure to these substances can lead to severe, life-altering disease,” Miller-Meeks said.

“However, under the current system at the VA it can be extraordinarily costly, time-consuming and in some cases impossible for a sick or disabled veteran to prove that their condition is related to the toxins to which they were exposed during their military service.”

The bill the House passed Wednesday, she said, would help to end that by requiring the VA to deliver health care and benefits to veterans exposed to toxins “in a responsible, fair way.”

Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps infantryman who deployed to Iraq in 2005, said the legislation was overdue and desperately needed.

“Too many veterans live in fear that their next doctor’s appointment will reveal an illness that in addition to harming their health could drive them into bankruptcy because the VA refuses to care for them,” Gallego said. “I am one of those people that does have that fear.”

The legislation, named for deceased Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson of the Ohio National Guard, would expand eligibility for VA health care to more than 3.5 million veterans exposed to burn pits since 9/11.

It would add 23 illnesses to the list of toxic-exposure-related ailments presumed to be connected to military service, ending the need for veterans with those conditions to try to prove to the VA their illnesses were linked to their deployments.

The package would direct more resources to VA health care centers, employees and claims processing as well as federal research on toxic exposure.

The measure would also expand presumptions for veterans exposed to Agent Orange, a chemical the U.S. military used during the Vietnam War. American Samoa, Cambodia, Guam, Johnston Atoll, Laos and Thailand would all be added to the list of locations where veterans are presumed to have been exposed to the chemical.

Jul 15, 2022
Nine rare cancers tied to burn pit exposure added to VA benefits list

BY: JENNIFER SHUTT Ohio Capital Journal

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is adding nine rare respiratory cancers linked to burn pit exposure to the list of illnesses eligible for disability and health benefits.

President Joe Biden, who has said his son Beau Biden’s exposure to toxic fumes from the pits could have led to his death, announced the policy change Monday, saying in a statement he hopes to avoid repeating mistakes of the past.

“We learned a horrible lesson after Vietnam, when the harmful effects of exposure to Agent Orange sometimes took years to manifest, and too many veterans were left unable to access the care they needed,” Biden said. “I refuse to repeat that mistake when it comes to the veterans of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The VA said Monday that it will begin processing disability compensation claims for former U.S. military members who were in Southwest Asia from Aug. 2, 1990, to the present or in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria, or Uzbekistan from Sept. 19, 2001, to the present.

The cancers include squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea, adenocarcinoma of the trachea, salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea, adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung, large cell carcinoma of the lung, salivary gland-type tumors of the lung, sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung and typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung.

The VA said it plans to contact veterans who fall under the new rule, which will be published on Tuesday, or survivors, to tell them how to apply for benefits.

Veterans or survivors who had prior claims denied can file a supplemental claim for benefits, according to the VA announcement.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement the change in policy will ensure “veterans who suffer from these rare respiratory cancers will finally get” the health care and benefits they “deserve, without having to prove causality between their service and their condition.”

The VA said “a focused review of scientific and medical evidence” determined that “there is biological plausibility between airborne hazards and carcinogenesis of the respiratory tract — and the unique circumstances of these rare cancers warrant a presumption of service connection.”

Biden originally announced the VA would add nine cancers to the eligibility list during his State of the Union address in March.

At the time, Biden said burn pits — which incinerated medical and hazard material, jet fuel and other substances — were one of the many dangers U.S. soldiers faced during deployments.

“When they came home, many of the world’s fittest and best trained warriors were never the same,” Biden said during his speech. “Headaches. Numbness. Dizziness. A cancer that would put them in a flag-draped coffin.”

Biden, in his State of the Union address and his statement Monday, called on Congress to “pass bipartisan legislation to comprehensively address toxic exposures and further deliver the vital benefits our veterans have earned.”

The U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bipartisan bill from Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Kansas GOP Sen. Jerry Moran in mid-February that is the first of three pieces of legislation meant to address health care needs linked to burn pits.

When announcing the $1 billion legislation in early February, Moran said that 3.5 million combat veterans have experienced some level of toxic exposure since 9/11.

“This is the first step on a continuum of trying to make certain that those who experienced toxic exposure, and as a result are suffering in their health and well-being, receive medical benefits,” Moran said at the time.

The U.S. House voted 256-174 in early March to approve a separate bill that would be much larger in scope and price.

That legislation, referred to as the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics or PACT Act, would cost about $280 billion during the next decade.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said during floor debate the legislation would “expand veterans’ health care access and benefits to address the effects of these toxic exposures that occurred during their military service.”

“We asked our veterans to go to battle for America, and they answered that call,” Hoyer said. “When they return home, veterans should not have to go to battle against red tape to receive the medical treatment and benefits they have earned through their service.”

Apr 26, 2022
Wounded Heroes Documentary Brings Hope to Our Military, First Responders, and Everyone Battling Post Traumatic Stress

Wounded Heroes Documentary is a film dedicated to saving the lives of our veterans and anyone suffering from Post Traumatic Stress. The life saving film will officially be released for the public to view via streaming services TOMORROW.

It is tragically reported that more than 20 veterans commit suicide a day, with the suicide rate for veterans being 1.5 times that of the general public. Some veterans who battle Post Traumatic Stress take as many as 18 prescriptions daily, many describe these drugs as a band-aid over a wound that will never heal. When award winning filmmaker, Michael Gier learned of these statistics he went on a mission to find successful treatments and programs to help veterans battling PTS.

In the film, Veterans detail their raw and honest struggles with PTS, suicide and describe how these new treatments ultimately saved their lives. Wounded Heroes Documentary will be available to view beginning this Friday, March 5, on Amazon Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Vimeo On Demand.

New film shines a light on bold new alternative non-drug treatments and programs that heal the wounds of PTS

In the Wounded Heroes Documentary due out March 5th, 2021, PTS sufferers are finally getting their voices heard as they speak out about their mistreatment by the healthcare system, the medications that are making them worse, and the amazing new proven therapies that are giving them back their lives.

An alarming statistic by the Department of Veterans Affairs report anywhere from 17 to 22 veteran suicides every single day.

Many feel it does not need to be that way.

After learning about this statistic and the serious side effects of overmedicating veterans, California filmmaker, Michael Gier, went on a mission to find successful alternative non-drug treatments that restore lives from the destruction of PTS.

“Post-Traumatic Stress among our veterans is a serious problem,” said Gier. “Most are given prescription medications, or drug cocktails as many call them, some of these prescriptions are black labeled with serious side effects.”

Gier, who traveled all over the country interviewing veterans, military brass, politicians, doctors, and other experts, said many veterans feel medication is just a band-aid over a wound that will never heal.

“Our veterans deserve so much more than just a band-aid and that is what inspired me to create this film,” said Gier.

Wounded Heroes Documentary is a 3-year passion project, funded primarily by Michael Gier and his wife Terri Gier, and features life changing options that give those suffering from PTS hope, potentially saving lives.

“These men and women served our country for years and the best we can do is give them drugs; some as many as eighteen different prescriptions, forty pills a day?!” said Gier. “I knew there had to be better options.”

In the film, Gier interviews health care professionals who are using alternative therapies that have been successfully proven to dramatically decrease their patients’ medication or help them become completely PTS prescription free.

Gier said by creating the film he wanted to bring as much awareness as possible about these life changing treatments and that everyone suffering from PTS needed to know there were other options out there for them.

“These aren’t just therapies that can help our soldiers and veterans,” said Gier. “Firefighters, police officers, and first responders all deal with PTS, and even more people from all walks of life are being affected by Covid-19. These can benefit them too.”

Veterans reported the alternative treatments helped change their lives significantly for the better and went from contemplating suicide to finding happiness and gratitude in their daily lives.

“I feel alive again, I feel rejuvenated, I feel like a soldier again.” -Kyle Green, US Army 1998 – 2008

“I’m happier today then I’ve ever been in my entire life.” – Chuck Gardea, US Air Force 1989 – 2015, Firefighter/Paramedic 1998 – 2015

“I didn’t even know this kind of happiness was possible.” – Sherri Waters, US Army

“You can change your life around. And there is light at the end of the tunnel, I am proof.” -Antonio Zavala, French Foreign Legion 1985 – 1990 / US Army 1992 – 2006

Dr. Shauna Springer, Ph.D., known as “Doc Springer” in the military community, is one of the nation’s leading experts on trauma, military transition, and close relationships. She has become a trusted Doc to countless warfighters across the country and has gained the respect of warriors of all ranks. Her unique role has given her a deep understanding of warrior culture, and the warfighter.

Dr. Springer is a proud advocate of the film.

“The feeling that Post-Traumatic Stress is a “life sentence” is killing warriors – and people across America. Many have given up, but they need to know that there is life beyond trauma – not just survival, but a good life – a connected, emotionally fulfilling life. Wounded Heroes presents this life changing story of hope,” said Dr. Springer.

The Wounded Heroes Documentary will be available for streaming across multiple platforms including Amazon, iTunes, Google, and more starting March 5th, 2021.

Visit www.woundedheroesdocumentary.com to learn more and join the grassroots effort to help spread the word and impact countless lives.

Mar 4, 2021
In Crisis?
Call 911 if you are facing a dangerous situation or thinking about hurting yourself

These resources are suggested by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Southwest Ohio, a grassroots education, support and advocacy organization.

NAMI offers educational programs, support groups, and an information and referral phone line. They work together with their national organization (NAMI) and their state affiliate (NAMI Ohio) to advocate for people living with mental illness and their families.

NAMI Southwest Ohio is committed to the following values:
1. Recovery: Recovery is possible with comprehensive treatment. Mental illness, like most other illnesses, comprises biological, psychological, and social factors.
2. Access to Treatment: All individuals should have access to treatment appropriate to their needs.
3. Needs Adequately Addressed: The needs of all those affected by mental illness, including people living with mental illness, family members, friends and others should be adequately addressed.
4. No Guilt, Shame, Blame or Stigma: There should be no stigma associated with mental illness.
5. Collaboration: Collaboration within the mental health community is vital to effective treatment and recovery.
6. Excellence: All NAMI’s support, education and advocacy programs should be conducted with the highest possible standards.
7. Inclusion: All segments of the community should be included as we seek to be the voice for mental health in Southwest Ohio.
8. Respect: All individuals should be treated with respect in every situation.
9. Openness and Responsiveness to Change: NAMI will be quick to adapt to positive research, medications and treatment, and will be willing to consider changes that will improve the delivery of our mission.
10. Fiscal Responsibility: Financial policies and decisions will be carefully weighed in order to optimize the use of resources in the most efficient and effective manner.
Youth America Hotline

(877) YOUTHLINE (968-8454)
www.youthline.us

The Youth America Hotline is a free peer-to-peer hotline network that links callers to community-based peer counseling hotlines.

Call 911 if you are facing a dangerous situation or thinking about hurting yourself

Crisis Text Line

Text START to 741741

The Crisis Text Line is available 24/7 to help you with any kind of crisis. Visit www.crisistextline.org/faq to learn more about how the Crisis Text Line works.

CEO, Dan Gillison, talks to the NAMI community about COVID-19

Local Resources By County

Butler County:

Mobile Crisis Team And Consultation

(844) 4CRISIS (1-844-427-4747)

24-hour Hotline: Need someone to talk to? Call the same Mobile Crisis Team phone number above. They are there to help!

Clermont County:

Clermont County Crisis Hotline

(513) 528-SAVE (7283)
www.child-focus.org

This free and confidential hotline is available 24-7 and provides suicide prevention, crisis intervention and referral information to Clermont County youth and adults.

Hamilton County:

Talbert House Crisis Hotline

(513) 281-CARE (2273) or text Talbert to 839863
www.talberthouse.org

This 24-hour suicide and crisis hotline offers crisis intervention and information and referral services to individuals of any age.

Mobile Crisis Team At University Hospital

(513) 584-5098
www.uchealth.com

To refer an adult or child, call (513) 584-5098. Mobile Crisis is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 12:00 am and Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 pm to 8:30 pm.

After hours, referrals can be made through Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES). Call (513) 584-8577. PES will page the Mobile Crisis Team if necessary.

Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES)

(513) 584-8577
www.uchealth.com

Provides round-the-clock care to patients in crisis with psychiatric emergencies, or for those experiencing suicidal and/or homicidal feelings.

Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC) At Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

(513) 636-4124
www.cincinnatichildrens.org

Located within Cincinnati Children’s, PIRC is the admission and evaluation center for all psychiatric services.

Hamilton County Mental Health Access Point (MHAP)

(513) 558-8888
www.mentalhealthaccesspoint.org

Mental Health Access Point (MHAP) exists as the front door to the Hamilton County public mental health system. MHAP, a division of Central Clinic, provides assessment, support, and connections for children and adults residing in Hamilton County who are in need of mental health services.

Warren County:

Warren And Clinton Counties Crisis Hotline

(877) 695-NEED (6333)
www.mhrsonline.org

This 24-hour telephone offers support to residents of Warren and Clinton Counties for emergencies related to mental health and substance abuse.

National Resources

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

(800) 273-TALK (8255)
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Calls will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you.
- Call for yourself or someone you care about
- Free and confidential
- A network of over 150 centers nationwide
- Available 24/7
Youth America Hotline

(877) YOUTHLINE (968-8454)
www.youthline.us

The Youth America Hotline is a free peer-to-peer hotline network that links callers to community-based peer counseling hotlines.

Veterans Crisis Line

(800) 273-8255 and Press 1
Text 838255
www.veteranscrisisline.net

The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text.

Suicide Prevention In College Resource Guide

This online guide, created by Affordable Colleges Online, is designed to offer hope and help for college students who are experiencing suicidal thoughts, as well as their friends and family.

www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/college-suicide-prevention

NAMI Information Helpline

(800) 950-NAMI (6264)
www.nami.org

Trained volunteers provide information, referrals, and support to all who have questions about or are affected by serious mental illness. The NAMI Information Helpline is available Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm EST.

Call 911 if you are facing a dangerous situation or thinking about hurting yourself
Dec 9, 2020