By Denise George
Special to The Alabama Baptist
On Nov. 11, Veterans Day, we have the opportunity to pause and express appreciation and gratitude to our nation’s war veterans, military service members, chaplains and their families. The Veterans Day observance began almost 100 years ago, when on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, Allied nations and Germany called an armistice, temporarily ending hostilities in World War I. In 1938, Veterans Day became a legal federal holiday in the United States.
War veterans are everywhere — living, working and worshipping quietly among us in our homes, communities, workplaces and churches. Oftentimes we aren’t aware of them or their service and sacrifice in keeping our country safe. Here are some practical ways congregations can remember, honor and thank those special men and women who have served, are currently serving and who minister to our military service members:
On the Sunday before or after Nov. 11, plan a service to celebrate the veterans in your congregation. Invite them to wear their uniforms if they wish to, but refrain from asking them to stand during the service. Some veterans have suffered greatly, both mentally and physically, and do not wish to be singled out and recognized. For many, the memories of war are too painful.
Suggest that your pastor pray a special prayer during the service for chaplains, active service members, veterans and their families in the church, community and nation. Invite a military chaplain, returning service member or veteran to preach the morning’s message or give a brief testimony.
For more information from the North American Mission Board (NAMB) on honoring service members on Veterans Day and other occasions, visit www.namb.net/chaplaincy/honoring-military-chaplains.
Make a list of service members and their families in your church. With their permission, print their names in the church bulletin or newsletter and request that your congregation pray for them regularly.
Organize special ministries for those families with service members deployed far from home. Invite their involvement in church and family activities.
Hold special times of prayer during regular church services throughout the year for the United States and its leaders, as well as for world leaders and urgent global needs.
Contact veterans in your church and community who need assistance understanding and negotiating the Veteran Administration maze. Supply each with a list of organizations that may help them with free medical care, legal help, job training and other needed services.
Educate yourself and your congregation on the unique issues and challenges facing returning war veterans and their families. Get to know the veterans in your church and community, reaching out and ministering to them.
As a church, financially support some of the many programs that seek to help veterans.
As an individual, volunteer your time to veteran organizations and community programs.
Visit the homebound veterans in your congregation. Talk with them, pray with them, listen to their stories and thank them for their service.
Write notes and letters to those currently serving in the military. Include the church’s children in this project, supplying them with art supplies to draw, color or paint creative cards to send.
Arrange to send “care packages” from the congregation to troops overseas. The organization Hugs for Soldiers lists appropriate items to send: candy, cookies, socks, gloves, small games, etc. They also provide current shipping information.
Pray for and support chaplains who provide pastoral ministry to soldiers/veterans. NAMB endorses more than 3,600 Southern Baptist chaplains serving in a variety of fields in North America, with 128 chaplains currently serving in VA hospitals.
During WWII, England’s prime minister, Winston Churchill, stated: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” His statement is true today too. As Southern Baptist congregations, let us not forget to honor and thank those individuals we owe so much to.
For more information on how your church can support Military Ministry, email chaplaincy@namb.net or call 770-410-6367. For NAMB military/chaplain resources, visit www.namb.net/chaplaincy/resources. For more information on helping returning veterans, visit crumilitary.org or call 1-800-444-6006. For an educational resource for caring professionals ministering to veterans, visit ptsd.va.gov.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Denise George (www.denisegeorge.org) is the author of 30 books and co-author of “Behind Nazi Lines: My Father’s Heroic Quest to Save 149 World War II POWs,” recently published by Penguin Random House. She is married to Timothy George, founding dean of Samford’s Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham.
Multiple sources available to help veterans post-service
Disposable Warriors
Sgt. Chuck Luther, director
www.disposablewarriors.org
Disposable Warriors assists soldiers who are being wrongfully discharged and denied benefits.
Soldiers’ Angels
Patti Patton-Bader, founder
210-629-0020
www.soldiersangels.org
Soldiers’ Angels provides aid and comfort to the men and women of the armed forces and their families through letter writing programs, care packages and team strategies.
USA Cares
1-800-773-0387
info@usacares.org
www.usacares.org
USA Cares connects directly with military families in need, providing free assistance with food, utilities, vehicle repair and rent. It also aids wounded veterans suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Wounded Warrior Project
904-296-7350
www.woundedwarriorproject.org
The Wounded Warrior Project offers a wide range of assistance, from help collecting disability benefits, to help in healing PTSD wounds, to continuing education for a post-military life.
National Veterans Foundation
1-888-777-4443
www.nvf.org
The National Veterans Foundation offers a range of free services to vets, including legal help, assistance with a disability claim, help finding a job, treatment for PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury and more.
NextGenVets
424-259-3803
info@nextgenvets.org
www.nextgenvets.org
NextGenVets is a job placement organization for veterans.
Wall Street WarFighters
484-614-1348
www.wallstreetwarfighters.org
Wall Street WarFighters provides education and training to wounded vets so they can make the transition from the battlefield to Wall Street.
Farmer-Veteran Coalition
530-756-1395
www.farmvetco.org
The Farmer-Veteran Coalition offers veterans training in becoming farmers.
Combat Paper Project
Drew Cameron, project co-director drewcameron@combatpaper.org
www.combatpaper.org
The Combat Paper Project conducts hands-on workshops across the country where veterans take their uniforms, cut them up, process them into pulp and use that pulp to create art. Veterans also get a chance to share their experiences with fellow veterans.
Warrior Writers Project
Lovella Calica, project director
lovella@warriorwriters.org
www.warriorwriters.org
The Warrior Writers Project brings together recent veterans and current soldiers to express themselves through art by holding workshops across the country where soldiers write stories, create poetry and develop art projects through various mediums.
The Pathway Home
Harold Flowers, case manager
1-800-404-8387
harold.flowers@thepathwayhome.org
www.thepathwayhome.org
The Pathway Home provides veterans with educational, professional and clinical support designed to help them cope with the effects of their military experience and enhance their lives following military service.
Lawyers Serving Warriors
202-265-8305, ext. 152
info@nvlsp.org
www.nvlsp.org/what-we-do/lawyers- serving-warriors/
Lawyers Serving Warriors is a project of National Veterans Legal Services Program that provides free legal services to U.S. military personnel and veterans who need help with disability, discharge or veterans’ benefits cases.
National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates, Inc.
202-587-5708
vetadvocates.org
The National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates, Inc. (NOVA) is a national organization of attorneys and other qualified members who act as advocates for disabled veterans. NOVA’s website features a directory of attorneys and other resources for veterans.
Vietnam Veterans of America
1-800-882-1316
vva.org
The Vietnam Veterans of America connects veterans with a knowledgeable, supportive fellow veteran who can guide them through the VA system.
Urban Justice Center — Veteran Advocacy Project
646-602-5620
veterans@urbanjustice.org
vap.urbanjustice.org
The Veteran Advocacy Project helps vets find housing, defends vets in Housing Court and provides assistance with medical care, mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment and counseling.
EDITOR’S NOTE — List compiled by various sources courtesy of Denise George, author of 30 books and co-author of “Behind Nazi Lines: My Father’s Heroic Quest to Save 149 World War II POWs.”
How to contact your congressional representative
You can find all of your congressional representatives by visiting www.contactingthecongress.org and entering your address.
Start by calling your senior senator. When you call the senator’s Washington office, ask who handles veterans issues there, then ask to speak to that person.
Having a high-ranking senator and his staff working on your side can open previously closed doors and fix once broken situations.
Before calling make sure you can summarize your entire situation in 30 seconds or less, ending with the question: “Can you help me?” If you can’t do it in 30 seconds, practice in front of a mirror until you can.
Let the senator’s veterans’ advocate ask the follow-up questions. One of the first questions will be: “Do you have all of your military and VA papers, including your medical, discharge and military performance papers?” Do not call until the answer to that question is “yes.”
Also once you obtain your papers, never send the originals to anyone.
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