Toolbox.vet
By Swords to Plowshares
Learn more at www.swords-to-plowshares.org/toolbox
Toolbox.vetMay 17, 2021
Interview with Dianne Williamson | Toolbox.vet
Dianne Williamson is the Director of The Veterans Community Media Network in Oakland, CA. In this episode, listen as Dianne shares her experiences as an Army Nuclear Weapons Maintenance Specialist, her transition to civilian life, and the many obstacles she overcame along the way.
Show notes:
What to Know Before You Start School
Tyler Solorio and Victor Inzunza, both former student veterans, discuss from personal experience what other veterans should know before starting college and what they wish they had known.
Vets Helping Vets is our newest podcast series, a special edition of Toolbox.vet. This series features stories and insights from veterans, for veterans.
GI Bill: Use It Now or Use It Later?
One of the biggest concerns about the GI Bill is recognizing the right time to use it. Tyler Solorio and Victor Inzunza discuss their thoughts and experiences using the GI Bill.
Vets Helping Vets is our newest podcast series, a special edition of Toolbox.vet. This series features stories and insights from veterans, for veterans.
Make the Most of Your Veteran Education Benefits
There are numerous education benefits that many are not aware of, which can mean missing out on important benefits you are entitled to. Victor and Tyler talk about these benefits and different ways they can be utilized.
Vets Helping Vets is our newest podcast series, a special edition of Toolbox.vet. This series features stories and insights from veterans, for veterans.
How to Deal with College and Military Related Debt
Victor and Tyler discuss the pitfalls of debt and the need to understand budgeting.
Vets Helping Vets is our newest podcast series, a special edition of Toolbox.vet. This series features stories and insights from veterans, for veterans.
Budgeting Basics for Student Veterans
Victor and Tyler talk about establishing budget goals, savings, and free resources on budgeting.
Vets Helping Vets is our newest podcast series, a special edition of Toolbox.vet. This series features stories and insights from veterans, for veterans.
VA Work Study Program
Victor talks about the VA Work Study Program in detail as Tyler reflects on not utilizing it in school.
Vets Helping Vets is our newest podcast series, a special edition of Toolbox.vet. This series features stories and insights from veterans, for veterans.
Veteran Readiness and Employment Program: Is It Right For You?
Tyler and Victor discuss Veteran Readiness and Employment (VRE), which can help with job training, employment accommodations, resume development, starting your own business, and job seeking skills coaching. They discuss their own experiences and how VRE can benefit you.
Vets Helping Vets is our newest podcast series, a special edition of Toolbox.vet. This series features stories and insights from veterans, for veterans.
Chapter 10 BONUS: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives
Listen to Pauline Lubens, Policy Analyst at Swords to Plowshares, describe ways for agencies to incorporate principles and practices of veteran diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Chapter 10 BONUS. Staying True to Your Mission
Listen to Amy Fairweather, Director of Policy for Swords to Plowshares, discuss the importance of revisiting your mission and vision.
Chapter 10 BONUS. The Structured Interview: Getting the Most Impactful Data from Those You Serve
Listen to Wendy Meluch, Program Evaluation Specialist, discuss the important elements of a structured interview to gather the most important data from veterans in your program.
Chapter 10 AUDIO. Administrative Best Practices in Services for Veterans
Making sure you dedicate time and resources to program development and sustainability, creating strategic partnerships, and effective leadership is key to establishing best practices in services to veterans.
Chapter 9 PODCAST. A MOS is a J-O-B
Listen to Victor Inzunza, Marine Corps Iraq Veteran, and Tyler Solorio, Army Afghanistan Veteran, discuss the difficulties transitioning to civilian employment and how employers can support veterans in the workplace.
Chapter 9 AUDIO. What You Should Know About Veteran Employment Services
Understand how to help veterans frame their skills for a civilian employment search and encourage employers to apply a culturally-informed approach to hiring and supporting veterans in the workplace.
Chapter 8 PODCAST. Insights on Needed Student Veteran Supports
Listen to Victor Inzunza, Marine Corps Iraq Veteran, and Tyler Solorio, Army Afghanistan Veteran, discuss from former student veteran perspectives how colleges can best support student veterans.
Chapter 8 PODCAST. What to Know Before You Go to School
Listen to Victor Inzunza, Marine Corps Iraq Veteran, and Tyler Solorio, Army Afghanistan Veteran, discuss what veterans should know before attending college.
Chapter 8 AUDIO. How to Support Student Veterans
Veterans may feel isolated on campus, navigating a new space so different from their military life. Learning ways to engage and support student veterans will help them succeed in college.
Chapter 7 BONUS. A Newly Housed Veteran
Formerly unhoused veteran, Reina, discusses her experience coming out as transgender, losing community support and ending up unsheltered, then getting placed in housing and employment.
Chapter 7 AUDIO. Insights on Mission-Driven Veteran Housing
The risk and resilience factors related to military service and homelessness present developers, operators, property management, clinical and support staff with important considerations for housing services.
Chapter 6 BONUS. Active Listening and De-escalation Techniques
Listen to Victor Inzunza, Marine Corps Iraq Veteran, discuss active listening and de-escalation techniques in services to veterans.
Chapter 6 BONUS. A Veteran’s Story of Seeking Care
A veteran tells her amazing story of trauma, institutional betrayal, survival, and seeking care. Content warning: Descriptions of sexual violence.
Chapter 6 PODCAST. Building a Community for Veterans
Listen to Michael Blecker, Army Veteran and Executive Director of Swords to Plowshares, reflect on his transition from the military and how he built up a community system of care for veterans.
Chapter 6 PODCAST. Identifying, Screening and Building Rapport in Services for Veterans
Listen to Tyler Solorio, Army Afghanistan veteran, and Victor Inzunza, Marine Corps Iraq Veteran, discuss ways to identify, screen for veteran status, and build rapport in services for veterans.
Chapter 6 AUDIO. No Wrong Door: Approach to Community-Based Veteran Care
Understanding effective approaches to care—from outreach, to the physical design of facilities, to trauma-informed interviewing and community collaboration—allows you to translate substantive knowledge to best practices.
Two Veterans with Bad Paper
Two Veterans Discuss Their Bad Paper Discharges.
Chapter 5 BONUS. Veterans with Bad Paper
Watch a former Swords to Plowshares client discuss his bad paper discharge. By Brave New Films.
Chapter 5 BONUS. "This is my hospital. This is my family. This is where I belong."
A veteran discusses their reasons for seeking care at the VA.
Chapter 5 AUDIO. Understand Your Role in Getting Veterans Connected to the VA
Veterans may require care and recognition for service-related conditions beyond what is provided outside of the VA. Find out how to get veterans connected to VA healthcare and benefits.
Chapter 4 BONUS. TBI Considerations
Listen to Shannon, Navy Veteran, discuss considerations for TBI among veterans.
Chapter 4 BONUS. Housing and Social Service Providers Discuss Aging Veteran Needs
Listen to housing and social service providers discuss the isolation and community, ADL, and habitability needs of aging veterans.
Chapter 4 BONUS. A Veteran's Experience with the Clinical Triad
Listen to Kevin, Iraq Marine Corps Veteran, discuss his experience with the clinical triad: PTSD, TBI, and chronic pain
Chapter 4 PODCAST. Toxic Exposures, Part 2: Gulf War Illness
In part 2, we interview Paul Sullivan, Gulf War Veteran, who discusses the emergence of Gulf War Illness from toxic exposures and the advocacy of Gulf War veterans for research, diagnosis, and treatment.
Chapter 4 PODCAST. Toxic Exposures, Part 1: Agent Orange
In part 1, we interview Paul Cox, Vietnam Veteran, who discusses Agent Orange and the advocacy of Vietnam veterans, and we draw similarities to the current efforts of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to gain recognition for health issues related to burn pits and other toxic exposures.
Chapter 4 AUDIO. What You Should Know About Veteran Physical Health
An awareness of a veteran’s military experiences and health risks will increase your understanding of co-morbidities, provide guidance for treatment plans, and help you explore appropriate referrals and resources.
Chapter 3 BONUS. On Guilt
Listen to Shannon, Navy Veteran, discuss the impact of guilt. Content warning: descriptions of violence and strong language.
Chapter 3 BONUS. A Veteran's Insight on PTSD
Shannon, Navy Veteran, offers insight on how some veterans may develop PTSD.
Chapter 3 BONUS. Suppressing Memories
Shannon, Navy Veteran, describes the bonds that service members have and the inability to describe the sometimes horrific experiences to their loved ones back home.
Chapter 2 BONUS. Bonding
Shannon, Navy Veteran, describes the bonds that service members have and the inability to describe the sometimes horrific experiences to their loved ones back home.
Chapter 2 BONUS. My Rifle
Shannon, Navy Veteran, describes his deep connection to his rifle during advanced training.
Chapter 2 BONUS. Primary Mission: Training to Kill
Shannon, Navy Veteran, describes the primary mission of the military and the indoctrination of military members. Content warning: strong language and descriptions of violence.
Chapter 2 BONUS. Nature of Conflict
Shannon, Navy Veteran, describes the changing nature of war and medical interventions.
Chapter 1 BONUS. Collective Impact Defined
Listen to Amy Fairweather, Swords to Plowshares’ Director of Policy, define Collective Impact in veteran care.”
Chapter 1 BONUS. A Community Response
Listen to Michael Blecker, Executive Director of Swords to Plowshares, discuss how Swords to Plowshares was formed and came together with the support of the community.
Chapter 1 BONUS. Don't Focus on War Eras!
Listen to Amy Fairweather, Swords to Plowshares Policy Director, discuss how war and combat alone should not incite the obligation of society to provide services and support.
Chapter 1 BONUS. Vietnam Veterans, Today's Veterans
Michael Blecker, Executive Director of Swords to Plowshares, discusses how Vietnam veterans responded to the needs of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
Chapter 1 BONUS. The Poverty Draft
Listen to Swords to Plowshares Executive Director, Michael Blecker, discuss the poverty draft of Vietnam veterans and its impact.
Chapter 1 BONUS. The Bonus Army: US Military Attacks Demonstrating American War Veterans
The Bonus Army’s march on Washington, DC in 1932 shaped veteran advocacy and the government response to veteran needs.
Chapter 1 AUDIO. The Veteran Advocate: History and Concept of Veteran Community-Based Care and Advocacy
Veteran healthcare and benefits have always been fought for. Knowing about veteran advocacy and how it shaped veteran systems of care will provide context for the support you provide.
Chapter 3 AUDIO. What You Should Know about Veteran Mental and Behavioral Health
An awareness of a veteran’s military-connected experiences and possible service-connected trauma conditions will provide you with context for diagnosis, treatment, and other needed services.
Chapter 2 AUDIO. What You Should Know About Military and Veteran Culture
Military service may expose veterans to mental and physical health risks that are best addressed through culturally-informed care and access to veteran-specific resources.