It seems that everything can be acquired on the Internet nowadays. You want to find someone to ride your Harley with? Look for a Meetup group in your city. Cheats for a video game? A thousand sites abound. And if you’re a returning service member who needs some support? Sites promising a hand proliferate.
The websites below (in no particular order) are some of my favorites. Even more important, they are all credible, reputable organizations. I’d put my trust in any of them.
Behind this portal lies a database of 250,000 services for warriors and their families – all searchable by zip code so it’s easy to find the services the veteran needs inside his/her own community. Talk about easy to use…this is it. And it’s constantly updated so the information is always current.
Here’s another timely and much-needed service. This website offers any member of the military access to a network of mental health providers who are offering their expertise pro bono. Because it’s self-referral, there are no HIPAA conflicts and the user doesn’t have to go through a large bureaucracy to find what he/she needs.
This site gets right to the point: connecting wounded, ill and injured soldiers (and their families and families of the fallen) with programmatic solutions. This newly-created website concentrates on post-9/11 service members with a locally-focused, hands-on approach. “Real people” work with the troops and everything includes the family. I think their work with couples and family retreats may prove to be particularly valuable.
When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home
This site grew out of Paula Caplan’s award-winning book 'When Johnny and Jane Came Marching Home.' You’re not going to find a database of resources on this site, but what you will find is an outlet for discussion. For the reader, it’s about listening. For the person telling his/her story, it’s about having an outlet for normal human reactions of loss, shame and separation. What this site lacks in “fancy,” it makes up for in realism and stark honesty.
This is a mobile, location-enabled social network designed exclusively for the military veteran community. POS REP reconnects veterans who served together but more importantly connects veterans to peers and resources in their communities. This is also an app that can serve as a mobile base for the non-profit, government and private sector organizations that support veterans’ reintegration.
These are just five of more than 250,000 resources for our military and their families. What are some of your favorites?
