Astrion’s Post

🌟 Today, May 10th, marks National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, a moment to honor the unsung heroes behind our brave soldiers. Yet, amidst the valor and sacrifice, there lies a silent struggle for many military spouses – the battle against substance use disorder within their loved ones. It’s a journey marked by distinct stages of coping. 🔄 In the realm of military life, these stages take on added significance. Spouses navigate deployments, relocations, and the unique challenges of service life. Yet, they stand as pillars of strength, offering unwavering support through every twist and turn of recovery. They become advocates, allies, and beacons of hope, lighting the way forward with love and understanding. Today, we salute these remarkable individuals, whose courage knows no bounds. 🌟 #MilitarySpouseAppreciationDay “Your New Dawn Awaits” Available 24/7 for Help 📲 702-595-2995 www.firstdawnrecovery.com #firstdawnrecovery #veteranrecovery #veteranrehabilitation #rehabilitationcenter #mentalhealth #veteranmentalhealth #lasvegasrecoverycenter #lasvegasrecovery

Something to think about

A few personal opinions I think most military families can agree with-- 1. Don't pity or victimize me just because our lives are different. 2. If you want to know about a potential conflict watch the news and educate yourself. Don't ask military families. 3. If people wanted to they would, and a lot of the time they don't. 4. I can be supportive of the military and frustrated with our government. 5. You're not going to guilt me for 'benefits'-- the recruiting station is open to everyone. 6. Not all individuals who serve in the military are morally upright. 7. People only care about the military when it directly affects them. 8. Don't ask intrusive questions about deployments or combat experiences unless we offer to share. 9. Recognize the sacrifices made by military families, not just the service members themselves. Spouses and children often bear significant burdens as well. 10. Military families appreciate genuine support and understanding, not just during times of conflict or crisis, but as part of our everyday lives.

Day 2 Ruck to Stop Soldier Suicide Keep improving your foxhole. In civilian terms this means to leave things in better condition than it was before you got there. We Cannot Stand By and let the epidemic of Veteran and military Service Member suicide stay the same or worsen. Stop Soldier Suicide is the only national nonprofit focused solely on solving the issue of suicide among U.S. veterans and service members. ***We have an aggressive goal to reduce the military suicide rate by 40% no later than 2030.*** This is an organization led by people I know and trust. This is personal. If you can, please give by clicking this link. https://lnkd.in/eaK_Red5 #Valor #veterans #stopsoldiersuicide #suicideprevention

There’s a category of #military brats that are especially deserving of the nation’s recognition, gratitude, and serious study: the roughly 2 million Post-9/11 military children who experienced at least one if not multiple parental deployments—most often to theaters of #war—in the 20yr period after 2001. Already by 2011 (the formal end of the Iraq War), more than 4,300 of these children had had a parent killed in the Iraq & Afghanistan wars. As of 2015, that number had reached some 5,000. It’s difficult to know exactly how many American military kids are survivors or orphans of troops who were killed in the line of duty during the #GWOT, or who they are, let alone the total numbers of children survivors of all those who’ve served in the Post-9/11 era: There does not appear to be any type of database or central repository of information from which to find them. Surveying the past 35 years with the Lucas Group, however, the nonprofit Fallen Patriots has estimated that approximately 25,000 children have lost an active duty parent during that time (whether from accident, illness, hostilities, or suicide). The majority of these fatalities were their fathers. We owe a debt to these military children that goes far beyond media pronouncements and themed events once a year in April.

#ICYMI, We share concerns from many experts & advocates following last week's #SCOTUS decision to strike down #JohnsonVGrantsPass. It will surely have devastating impacts on unhoused people in this country — many of whom also struggle with #foodinsecurity. Those who are unhoused are vulnerable in so many ways, which often includes struggling to put feed themselves and their families. Punishing people who struggle is anathema both our Jewish and American values. As our friends at @NCHVorg and @UCLA_Law pointed out, many of America’s #veterans who fought for our country will be impacted by this decision. They deserve support — not barriers or punishments — as they reintegrate into civilian life following military service. The #JohnsonVGrantsPass decision represents the cruelty towards & desire to stigmatize those most in need. It mirrors and emboldens rhetoric we see and hear every day, and it emboldens us to continue to fight for #veterans & all those who are struggling.

According to VA’s 2023 annual suicide prevention report, a growing number of women veterans are dying by suicide. The suicide rate for female veterans has nearly doubled in the two decades from 2001 to 2021, the most recent year with data available. In a report, Disabled American Veterans calls on VA to require that community care providers who treat veterans be trained in suicide prevention, gun safety counseling, and evidence-based treatments for mental health conditions common among women veterans, such as MST-related post-traumatic stress. https://lnkd.in/ebzDbKzx #mentalhealth #womenshealth #suicideprevention #veterans #womenwhoserve #army #navy #marines #airforce DAV (Disabled American Veterans) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

We’ve got a problem. The demand for support from bereaved military families far, far outstrips what we at Scotty’s can afford. We can’t keep up. We need to generate £2m this year just to stand still and yet there are over 2,000 children bereaved of a parent who served every year. What you can do to help… ➡️ Can your business sign up to our Business Heroes Club? It’s £250/£500/£1k a month. ➡️ Could you nominate Scotty’s as your company’s charity of the year? ➡️ Can you afford to make a small donation? ➡️ How about fundraising at the Scotty’s March? ➡️ Or what about donating a % of sales from a product line? Together we can provide the support our bereaved military families deserve, but we need your help 🙌

“We are taught to be strong, to betray no weakness, but that night I learned to be strong is weakness. Pain should not be avoided. Tears must fall.” - Unknown BBC Screenwriter #PTSD doesn’t often look the way most people expect it to. It’s also not always caused by combat action as is often misconstrued (often by the veterans suffering worst because they don’t understand why they feel the way they do). This outstanding video shows in a really simple way how it affects people’s every day lives, and as importantly, the burden it places on the people around you. #MentalHealth is #health. Poor mental health is poor health. If you’re struggling to cope, the most difficult thing you can do as a #Veteran is to admit it and ask for help. It’s also the most powerful thing you can do - a sign of real strength. #trauma #veteranshelpingveterans #combatstress

May is both Mental Health Awareness and Military Appreciation month. Coincidence? Probably. Appropriate? Absolutely! What a great time to reminder our military personnel of their inTransition benefit. The inTransition program is a free, confidential program that offers specialized coaching and assistance for active duty service members, National Guard members, reservists, veterans and retirees who need access to mental health care when: -Relocating to another assignment -Returning from deployment -Transitioning from active duty to reserve component or reserve component to active duty -Preparing to leave military service -Any other time they need a new mental health provider or need a provider for the first time. https://lnkd.in/dia2mujR