MSI Press Blog

Review from MidWest Book Review, April 19, 2019 Reviewer's Choice Helping the Disabled  Veteran Joanna Romer MSI Press 1760-F Airline Hwy, #203, Hollister, CA 950243 http://msipress.com 9781942891789, $14.95, PB, 124pp, www.msipress.com/shop/ "Helping the Disabled Veteran: How to Assist Your Disabled Veteran's Adjustment to Civilian Life" by Joanna Romer suggests 'real world practical' ways to assist disabled veterans leaving the military and trying to integrate back into mainstream society in spite of their disabilities. The chapters comprising "Helping the Disabled Veteran" contain recommendations, suggestions, and practical suggestions, based on a large number of wide-ranging interviews with disabled veterans about their experiences after returning from war. Impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Helping the Disabled Veteran" should be a part of every community, college, and university library collection ...

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...

Recently released: audio book of Joanna Romer's book, Helping the Disabled Veteran: How to Assist Your Disabled Veteran's Adjustment to Civilian Life . In this, her final, book, the late Joanna Romer suggests ways to assist disabled veterans leaving the military and trying to integrate back into mainstream society in spite of their disabilities. Chapters contain recommendations, suggestions, and practical suggestions, based on a large number of wide-ranging interviews with disabled veterans about their experiences after returning from war. For more posts about Joanna Romer and her books, click  HERE . Purchase this book at discount from the  MSI Press webstore . Use Coupon Code FF25 for 25% off. Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? ...

  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...

  Editor's comment. I am commenting here because Joanna has passed on, but her book has not; it is still very much alive and selling. It continues to provide good advice to those who are welcoming home and continuing to support disabled veterans. This book was an easy sell to us and something that authors trying to find a publisher might think about. First and important, Joanna had already published several books with us -- wonderful ones that helped a lot of people and some of which won national awards. So, quality of writing was no issue. Second, the topic was close to us. MSI Press was veteran-founded and, after conversion to an LLC, is veteran-run. (Note: we have a new book, being released, on September 15 that also addresses disabled veteran issues -- Heart to Heart Resuscitation; not yet advertised, but it will be soon. Watch for it!) For more book back stories, click HERE . For more stories about Joanna and her books, click HERE . For more posts/books about veterans, click H...

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 ...