MSI Press Blog

Happy Fourth of July, 2020! In celebration of this day, we present an excerpt from Joanna Romer's popular book, Helping the Disabled Veteran . Excerpt: Holidays The holidays may be a poignant time for your veteran, perhaps more than you realize. If he or she lost a friend in battle, or simply during the course of military service, your veteran may be reminded of that friendship with sadness during the holidays. Even though you’ve never met this friend, you should respect your veteran’s grief—the friendship may have been very close. Your veteran may feel guilty if unable to do Christmas shopping. If they are confined to a wheelchair, for instance. You can offer to help—either by buying the items he/she picks out or by setting your veteran up on the computer to do some online shopping. It goes without saying that lending a little extra cash during this time would be welcome. On the day of the holiday itself, don’t be surprised if your veteran wants to stay in his/he...

This excerpt comes from  Helping the Disabled Veteran  (Joanna Romer)      Homeless Veterans Drive down any major thoroughfare in a medium to large-sized city, and you’re bound to see this sign at an intersection: “Homeless Veteran. Please Help.” The sign is usually being wielded by a man between 20 and 70 years old, bedraggled in appearance and wearing a helpless expression on his face. Sometimes the sign says, “Will work for food,” especially if the Veteran is on the younger side. Sometimes the sign bearer is disabled, with just one leg, standing on crutches or in a wheelchair. What do we do when we see such a person? The light changes and we drive on through the intersection; or, if we’re feeling charitable, we put a dollar in the outstretched cup. Sometimes if we get a look at the veteran’s face, a tear may come to our eye: there’s something very wrong about this situation . The more cynical among us may posit that the whole thing is an act — that the ...

  This excerpt comes from  Helping the Disabled Veteran  (Joanna Romer) PTSD   In the 2017 movie Dunkirk , a soldier is rescued from an airplane wreckage by a fishing boat. He is shocked to learn that the boat is on its way to Dunkirk to help the war effort, and he refuses to go. Instead, he flies into a rage. “He’s shell-shocked,” the boat captain tells his mate. The mate asks if the solder will recover, and the boat captain tells him there is no way of knowing. “He may never be the same,” the captain adds ruefully.   Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has replaced the term shell-shocked to describe the agitated state born by some soldiers after combat. The symptoms are: 1)     Headache 2)     Agitation 3)     Dizziness 4)     Chest pain 5)     Insomnia (dhproject.org)   If your veteran is displaying one or more of these symptoms, try to get him or her to talk to you about it. Yo...

  This excerpt comes from  Helping the Disabled Veteran  (Joanna Romer) Legal Help   Your son Tommy came home from Afghanistan paralyzed, and you’re stymied on how to help him. He’s been living with you and your husband for over a year, and a good part of that time you’ve been trying to get a certain benefit that would help him and your family a great deal. Unfortunately, because of a supposed “hitch” in his service record, that particular benefit does not seem to be available. Tommy says the hitch is an error — but so far you’ve been unable to get it removed. Is there anything you can do? Yes, there is. Paralyzed Veterans of America is an organization that provides competent attorneys to assist in cases just like this. They have litigated hundreds of cases for veterans, helping them to get the benefits they need (Legal Services – Paralyzed Veterans of America). Veterans have the right to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims if their benefits reque...