The Department of Veterans Affairs is far more than the VA hospital. Through public-private sponsorships, the VA is trying to help with the challenges veterans face as they transition out of the military.
"The stress is always there," said Terri Tatum, now retired after over two decades in the Navy. "It might not be the same as the person that got out before you but the stress is always there."
There are over 40,000 veterans service organizations across the country, but most aren't connected in any way. So, in spite of available resources, retiring service members can feel lost said John Fasano, the Community Coordinator for the Veteran Sponsorship Initiative .
"Most of our service members will tell you that they feel like they're on their own," he said.
Maurice Wilson spent 26 years in the Navy but now works with Onward Ops, a nonprofit helping unify Veterans organizations nationwide.
"It's not as simple as just taking off the uniform," Wilson said.
Wilson is the Regional Community Integration Coordinator for Onward Ops which connects veterans with a volunteer who checks in every week to make sure they have access to resources and assure them they are not alone. Tatum knows personally how valuable that is.
"I have a sailor who got married and his wife got out and she didn't have this... and the loss of community was where... she felt the degrade and so... she didn't know where to go," Tatum said.
Peter Lanham was Tatum's "Battle Buddy" with Onward Ops San Diego and helped her navigate her transition to civilian life.
"There are many out there that need Onward Ops... once they hear about it and know what it can do as they transition and reintegrate... it's refreshing... nothing like this has existed," said Lanham.
In partnership with Onward Ops, the Veteran Sponsorship Initiative, or VSI, calls service members long BEFORE they exit the military and begin working with them to ensure they have healthcare and determine any other needs.
Wilson pointed out, "Roughly 90% intend to change from the career they have in the military to a new career, but they can't tell you what that is."
"If we work with them now and start to connect them with resources in the community where they're going to live... the veteran starts to have the mindset of, 'somebody in my community really cares about me," added Fasano.
According to a study in 2017, on a given night over 40 thousand veterans were homeless. In contrast, research from VSI shows, with a transition sponsor, a veteran is 63% more likely to engage with healthcare and 50% less likely to attempt suicide -- positive numbers in the effort to give retiring veterans the tools needed to reintegrate into civilian life successfully.
As Tatum fought back tears she said, "It was that community that Maurice and Pete provided me and helped me integrate back in... that I think... I'm successful today."
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