Disabled Veterans: Benefits & Military Discounts
Veterans and their families give so much serving our country, and earn our respect and gratitude all year long. May is a special month for our nation’s veterans, however, as it is National Military Appreciation Month which is celebrated every year to honor veterans for their courage, sacrifice, and dedication. May is also when we observe Memorial Day with a Federal holiday.
Honoring Veterans on Memorial Day
This year Memorial Day is observed on Monday, May 25th, and it is a day to honor the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice while in military service. Typically there are commemorative services and parades where citizens proudly display their gratitude to those who have perished serving our country, but this year the uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic may leave you wondering about ways to honor Memorial Day in the event public events are not held. There are several ways we can show our appreciation, even without more public activities. Here are some examples:- Display the American flag from your home or business
- Observe a minute of silence at 3pm
- Donate to veteran and military support groups and charities
- Visit veteran memorials to show your respect and/or volunteer to help place the American Flag on graves at national cemeteries
- Post a tribute on social media
- Host an online fundraiser to raise donations for veteran cause(s)
Resources for Disabled Veterans
There are more than 4 million veterans with a service-related disability in the US. When service men or women are disabled or injured in combat, there is a lot to learn about their disability and how to access valuable resources. Every veteran, and their caregiver(s), need education, information, and support to help find and access these resources. Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) helps connect veterans to employment, benefit, medical, and legal resources, as well as information, resources, and support for caregivers and communities. We spoke with the executive director of PVA’s Arizona chapter, Peter Quinn, and he gave us an overview of their offerings:“We have all types of medical equipment, wheelchairs, bath equipment, cushions, walkers, canes, slide boards and even lifts for indoor use. Veterans get priority and then the equipment is made available to the general public.”The Reeve Foundation’s Military & Veterans Program offers veterans with spinal cord injury and paralysis expertise, support programs, and resources to help navigate medical information, military benefits, basic care, quality of life grants, peer mentoring, social, and recreational resources, and more. The Disabled American Veterans organization provides disabled veterans, caregivers, and families information and resources for traumatic brain injury, limb loss, paralysis, PTSD, medical, health, service animals, and more. The US Department of Veterans Affairs offers a multitude of resources to veterans, families, communities, and businesses including veteran benefits, healthcare, insurance, educational, financial and employment resources. You can find the VA location nearest you through their location search filter. Military.com provides active servicemen and women, veterans, and families resources for benefits, discounts, and employment information. The National Veterans Foundation provides veterans and families crisis management resources, information, and referrals, including a vet-to-vet helpline and outreach services that provide clothing, food, transportation, employment and other needed resources.