VA Resources for Veterans and Families M D

M AKING A D IFFERENCE IN B REVARD , NC
OCTOBER 2014
VA Resources for Veterans and Families
Reprinted from Guide to Mental Health Services for Veterans & Families
The Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA) provides mental health services at
its medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics. In addition, readjustment
counseling services are available for Veterans and their Families at Vet Centers across
the nation. For more information, visit the VA Mental Health website at
www.mentalhealth.va.gov or the Vet Center website at www.vetcenter.va.gov.
Make the Connection (www.maketheconnection.net) is a public awareness
campaign by the department of Veteran Affairs that provides personal testimonials and
resources to help Veterans and their Families and friends learn from each other’s
experiences and discover ways to improve their lives.
Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their Families and friends with
qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll
-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call
(800) 273-8255 and Press 1, chat online at www.veteranscrisisline.net, or send a text
to 838255 to receive confidential support 24/7, 365 days a year.
Coaching into Care is a free and confidential coaching service to help callers
discover new ways to talk with a veteran about their concerns and treatment options.
VA works with Family Members or friends who become aware of a Veterans’ postdeployment difficulties, and supports their efforts to find help for the Veteran. Callers
can reach the service at 888-823-7458. More information can be found at
www.mirecc.va.gov/coaching.
National Center for PTSD is VA’s center of excellence for research and education
on the prevention, understanding, and treatment of PTSD. The mission of the
National Center is to advance the clinical care and social welfare of America’s Veterans
through research, education, and training in the science, diagnosis, and treatment of
PTSD and stress-related disorders. For more information, visit www.ptsd.va.gov.
IN THIS ISSUE:
VA Resources for Veterans and Families ..........1
1st Annual Fall Back to Work Job Fair ..............2
NC Governor’s Working Group ........................2
Agent Orange/Dioxin Town Hall ......................2
Family Support Network .................................3
AMVETS Back to School Special .....................3
Fall 2014 Money Smart Workshops ................4
OnTrack WNC Women & Money Conference ....4
MOS TumbleBooks........................................4
Think It’s E—Z ................................................5
Breast Cancer Awareness Month ....................5
Spouse Education & Career Opportunities ......5
National Cyber Security Awareness Month.......6
Domestic Violence Awareness Month..............7
11 Ways to Save When You’re Broke ...............8
ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER
152 E French Broad Street
Brevard, NC 28712
SUSAN BENNETT
Contract Customer Support Coordinator
Office: 828-884-9482
susan.j.bennett7.ctr@mail.mil
HILLARY COALSON
Contract Customer Support Coordinator
Office: 828-885-7895
hillary.a.coalson.ctr@us.army.mil
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday—Friday, 8am—5pm
Closed Monday, October 13
For more information, contact the ASCC.
The information presented in this newsletter is for informational awareness only and does not represent
endorsement, sponsorship, recommendation, or promotion of any commercial event(s), commercial names
or brands by the editors of this Newsletter, the Department of Defense, US Army, US Navy, US Air Force,
US Coast Guard, National Guard or Reserve, and the federal government. Usage of commercial or trade mark
names is for identification purposes only.
BREVARD ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2014 | PAGE 1
1st Annual Fall Back
to Work Job Fair
Thursday, October 2, 2014 | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
SC Works McAlister Square
225 S. Pleasantburg Drive
Greenville, SC 29607
This event is sponsored by SC Work Greenville. No
registration needed. There will be assistance for Military
Candidates and their Families. Arrive in business attire
and resumes in hand in order to leave a positive
impression on potential employers. For Resume
assistance feel free to visit SC Works offices located at
225 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville SC 29607. They
have advisors available to help improve resumes to best
market the individual.
If you have questions, contact Kathy Stanton at
(864) 467-3620 or send email to kstanton@dew.sc.gov.
For more information, visit www.scworks.org.
NC Governor’s Working Group
on Veterans, Service Members
and their Families
Agent Orange/Dioxin
Town Hall Meeting
Saturday, October 25, 2014 | 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
AB-Tech Enka Campus
Haynes Building
1459 Sand Hill Road
Candler, NC 28715
Event sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America
(VVA) Chapter 124, Asheville, NC.
Do you have questions about Agent Orange/
Dioxin?
A program for Vietnam Veterans, dependents, and their
survivors will discuss health issues related to Agent
Orange/Dioxin exposure and its multigenerational
effects. An overview will be presented regarding benefits
available to Vietnam Veterans, dependents, and their
Survivors. The claims process will be thoroughly
reviewed step-by-step. Panel experts from the National
Office of VVA: Mokie Porter, Herb Worthington, Tom
Berger, Ph.D., and VVA Certified Veteran Service
Officer, Anthony Mussolino, will be providing important
information. Impact on the family and birth defects will
be highlighted.
Thursday, October 23rd, 2014| 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Teleconference (855) 521-0877
Subject: Veteran Housing Services
Accredited VSO from Western NC Counties and NC
Department of Veterans Affairs will be available to
discuss individual claims.
North Carolina Governor McCrory’s determination to
expand and improve services for the state’s 800,000
Veterans has resulted in building an unprecedented
intra-governmental working group focused on job
creation, workforce enrichment, health and wellness,
legal and financial services and benefits for Veterans.
Anyone is welcome to join in and listen to the monthly
meetings.
For more information, call Allan Perkal at
(808) 383-7877 or visit ASHVVVA124.org. For
directions, visit www.abtech.edu/content/a-b-techlocations/Enka-Site.
For more information, visit ncveteransworkinggroup.com or email contactus@veteransfocus.org.
BREVARD ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2014 | PAGE 2
Family Support Network of WNC
Family Group Night
Family Support Network is a parent-to-parent program
serving families of children with special needs or health
concerns. Attend a monthly meeting for a chance to meet
other families and caregivers, to share and/or learn of
child-raising experiences, to find other support groups
and/or receive information about medical conditions
and/or resources/services available. Services are free of
charge and the entire family will benefit from Family
Group Night.
Family Support Network of Region A - serving
Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and
Swain Counties and the Cherokee Indian Reservation.
For Meeting Locations contact Jody Miller at
(828) 631-3900 x154 or jody@regionakids.org.
Children's Developmental Services Agency, 87 Bonnie
Lane, Sylva, NC. For more information, visit
regionakids.org/family-support-network .
Family Support Network of Western NC serving
Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, Polk, Rutherford,
Transylvania Meeting Schedule below. Register with
Roxann Colwell at (828) 213-0033 or (888) 810-2800 x2
or Roxann.colwell@msj.org. Questions? Call Kate
Glance (828) 213-9787 or Kate.Glance@msj.org. For
more information, visit
www.FamilySupportNetworkWNC.org.
Please RSVP! Signing up will help insure we have enough
food for dinner and volunteers for groups.
Buncombe County
1st Tuesday, Monthly | Dinner 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM;
Meeting 7:30 PM
Mission Reuter Children’s Center
Family Support Network™ of WNC
11 Vanderbilt Park Drive
Asheville, NC 28803
Henderson County
3rd Monday, Monthly | Dinner 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM;
Meeting 7:30 PM | St. Gerard House
620 Oakland Street | Hendersonville, NC 28792
Madison County
4th Monday, Monthly | Dinner 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM;
Meeting 7:30 PM | Madison County NC CEC
258 Carolina Lane | Marshall, NC 28753
Transylvania County
4th Thursday, Monthly | Dinner 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM;
Meeting 7:30 PM | Transylvania Parks & Recreation Center
1178 Ecusta Road | Brevard, NC 28712
For more information, contact the ASCC.
AMVETS Back to School Special
eKnowledge Offers Military Families FREE $250
SAT and ACT College Test Prep Programs
eKnowledge has donated more than 207,000 SAT and
ACT programs valued at over $48 million at no profit to
the company. The Military Donation Project is in alliance
with the DoD and supported by professional athletes
from the NFL and MLB as well as 250 Affiliate Partners.
eKnowledge has been investing in students and improving
test scores while always keeping up with the changing
landscape of college test preparation. The SAT and ACT
PowerPrep™ Programs are available online or on a single DVD. Each program includes more than 11 hours of
video instruction and 3000 files of supplemental test prep
material, thousands of interactive diagnostic tools,
sample questions, and practice tests. Order Online at
www.eKnowledge.com/AMVETS. Order by phone at
(951) 256-4076.
Test Dates 2014/2015
SAT: October 11, November 8, December 6, January
24, March 14, May 2, June 6
ACT: September 13, October 25, December 13,
February 7, April 18, June 13
For more information, contact Lori Caputo at
(951) 256-4076 or LoriCaputo@eknowledge.com.
BREVARD ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2014 | PAGE 3
Fall 2014 MONEY SMART
WORKSHOPS
Henderson County
Etowah United Methodist Church
110 Brickyard Road
Etowah, NC 28729
These workshops are open to the public, NO COST,
sponsored by St. James Charities and OnTrack Financial
Education and Counseling. [Workshops are required for
those participating in the Section 8 WCCA Family
Self–Sufficiency program.]
Thursday October 2 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Buying a
Car? New, Used, Financing? - Instructor: Maryann
Festa, WCCA
Thursday October 9 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Banking
Services: Managing your Checking Account/Balancing
Statements - Instructor: Maryann Festa, WCCA
Thursday October 16, 23, 30 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Manage Your Money (It’s Possible) (3 part series) –
Hillary Holmes, OnTrack
Registration is required to determine space needed,
number of dinner servings to anticipate, and if child care
will be needed. Call Maryann at (828) 693-1711.
OnTrack WNC Women & Money
Conference - Asheville NC
Saturday, October 25, 2014| 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
First Baptist Church of Asheville
5 Oak Street
Asheville, NC 28801
To register for the event, go to
www.ontrackwnc.org/women.html. Costs $15 per
person Scholarships are available.
Since Money doesn’t grow on trees cultivate money
knowledge, weed out financial fears, nurture new budget
habits, plant ideas for future success, and just have fun!
Keynote Speaker Desiree Adaway
desireeadaway.com/about.
OnTrack Financial Education and Counseling offers a vast
array of services and courses for budgeting, debt
management, planning for your financial future, and
money goal setting through group or one on one
appointments with a counselor in your county.
OnTrack Asheville offers Home Buyer’s Education
classes, evenings, Saturdays and in Spanish. Call
(800) 737-5485 to schedule an appointment.
For more information on no-cost financial services, visit
www.ontrackwnc.org.
MILITARY ONE SOURCE TumbleBooks for Beginning and Intermediate Readers
Morale, Welfare and Recreation Online Libraries offer TumbleBook for Beginning Readers, kids can access hundreds of storybooks
and non-fiction titles on a wide range of subjects from animals and insects to fables and fantasy. The Tumblesearch function allows you
to search by title, author, subject, reading level and more. Keep track of your kids' favorite titles using the "My Favorites" function,
and put together a playlist of their best-loved books to play one after the other with "My Playlist." At TumbleBook, kids can enjoy
hours of fun reading and learning. Older readers will enjoy all the read-along books, graphic novels and other e-books found at
TumbleBookCloud. Just one of many available titles, "The Outside of a Horse" tells the story of a teenager who uses her love of
horses to help her father, an Iraq war veteran, recover from the physical and emotional injuries he sustained during his deployment.
Kids can also choose from a wide selection of young adult/teen fiction, short stories and classics like "The Great Gatsby." For
toddlers, teens and kids in between, Military OneSource offers online library resources to help children keep their grades up, research
paper topics, learn to read or just find a gripping story for a rainy afternoon. Show your kids how to access these online resources and
let them explore and develop a lifelong love of books and learning or find an animated picture book to read together.
For more information, visit www.militaryonesource.mil/mwr/libraries?content_id=269525 or call (800) 342-9647.
BREVARD ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2014 | PAGE 4
Think It’s E-Z?
Love breezing through tollbooths with your E-Z Pass? A
new scam is taking advantage of that. Here’s how it
works: You get an email that appears to be from E-Z
Pass. It has the E-Z Pass logo, and says you owe money
for driving on a toll road. It also provides a link to click
for your invoice. Guess what? The email isn’t from E-Z
Pass. If you click on the link, the crooks running this
scam may put malware on your machine. And if you
respond to the email with your personal information,
they’re likely to steal your identity.
This E-Z Pass email is the latest in a long line of phishing
scams, where fraudsters pretend to be legitimate
businesses as a way to get access to people’s personal
information. But adopting a few online security habits
can help you avoid phishing scams:

Never click on links in emails unless you’re sure
who sent you the message.

Don’t respond to any emails that ask for personal or
financial information. Email isn’t a secure way to
send that information.

Type an organization’s URL yourself, and don’t
send personal or financial information unless the
URL begins with https (the “s” stands for secure).

If an email looks like it is from E-Z Pass, contact
E-Z Pass customer service to confirm that it is
really from them.

Keep your computer security software current.
Have You been tricked by a phishing email?

Forward it to spam@uce.gov and to the company
impersonated in the email.

File a complaint with the Federal Trade
Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.

Visit the FTC’s Identity Theft website at
ftc.gov/idtheft.
For more information, visit www.consumer.ftc.gov.
Breast Cancer Awareness
Month 2014
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to
raise awareness about the importance of early detection
of breast cancer. Make a difference! Spread the word
about mammograms and encourage communities,
organizations, families, and individuals to get involved.
Breast cancer is the second most common kind of cancer
in women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United
States will get breast cancer at some point.
The good news is that many women can survive breast
cancer if it’s found and treated early. A mammogram –
the screening test for breast cancer – can help find breast
cancer early when it’s easier to treat.

If you are a woman age 40 to 49, talk with your
doctor about when to start getting mammograms
and how often to get them.

If you are a woman age 50 to 74, be sure to get a
mammogram every 2 years. You may also choose
to get them more often.
Talk to a doctor about your risk for breast cancer,
especially if a close family member of yours had breast or
ovarian cancer. Your doctor can help you decide when
and how often to get mammograms.
For more information, visit healthfinder.gov.
Spouse Education and Career
Opportunities (SECO)
To help military spouses reach their education and career
goals as they balance work-life priorities and interests,
DoD has established a comprehensive, holistic, spousecentered program called SECO. The program seeks to
strengthen the education and career opportunities of
military spouses worldwide.
For more information, visit www.MilitaryOneSource.mil
or call (800) 342-9647.
BREVARD ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2014 | PAGE 5
National Cyber Security Awareness Month
The Internet is part of everyone’s life, every day. We use the Internet at work, home,
for enjoyment, and to connect with those close to us.
However, being constantly connected brings increased risk of theft, fraud, and abuse.
No country, industry, community, or individual is immune to cyber risks. As a nation,
we face constant cyber threats against our critical infrastructure and economy. As
individuals, cybersecurity risks can threaten our finances, identity, and privacy. Since
our way of life depends on critical infrastructure and the digital technology that
operates it, cybersecurity is one of our country’s most important national security
priorities, and we each have a role to play—cybersecurity is a shared responsibility.
National Cyber Security Awareness Month is designed to engage and educate
public and private sector partners through events and initiatives with the goal of raising
awareness about cybersecurity and increasing the resiliency of the nation in the event of
a cyber incident. October 2014 marks the 11th Annual National Cyber Security
Awareness Month sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security in cooperation
with the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Multi-State Information Sharing and
Analysis Center.
For tips and resources you can use and share throughout the year, visit the DHS
Stop.Think.Connect. Toolkit and find resources for the following demographics:

Students K-8, 9-12, and Undergraduate
 Parents and Educators
 Young Professionals
 Older Americans
 Government
 Industry
 Small Business
 Law Enforcement
For more information on how to practice cybersecurity during National Cyber Security
Awareness Month and throughout the year, visit Stop.Think.Connect at
www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect-get-informed.
Stop.Think.Connect.TM
Tips for keeping your
personal information safe,
your Family protected, and
our nation security intact.
STOP
STOP hackers from
accessing your accounts—set
secure passwords.
STOP sharing too much
information. Keep your personal
information personal.
STOP—trust your gut.
If something doesn’t feel right,
stop what you are doing.
THINK
THINK about the information you
want to share before you share it.
THINK how your online actions
can affect your offline life.
THINK before you act—don’t
automatically click on links.
CONNECT
CONNECT over secure networks.
CONNECT with people you
know.
CONNECT with care and be on
the lookout for potential threats.
www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect
BREVARD ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2014 | PAGE 6
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Intimate Partner Violence: Let VA Help
Intimate partner violence (IPV), which is often called domestic violence, occurs when a current or former intimate partner
(e.g., boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse) harms, threatens to harm, or stalks their partner. While domestic violence does
include IPV, it refers to any violence that occurs in the home. Domestic violence includes child abuse, elder abuse, and
other forms of interpersonal abuse. IPV refers specifically to violence between intimate partners. IPV can happen to
anyone. It can happen no matter your age, income, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, or disability.
IPV is prevalent among women Veterans, active duty women, and women living in the U.S. overall. One-third of women
Veterans experience IPV in their lifetime compared to less than a quarter of civilian women. Women who have
experienced IPV may have short and long-term health effects. They may experience short-term health effects such as
physical injuries like stab wounds or broken bones or sexually transmitted infections. They may also experience long-term
health effects such as obesity; problems with their heart, stomach, or digestive systems; difficulties with pregnancy or
unwanted pregnancies; chronic pain; and other stress-related difficulties such as headaches. They may also experience
mental health issues such as depression, substance abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder, and thoughts of hurting themselves.
Has your partner: Emotionally mistreated you (e.g., called you names, tried to embarrass, or intimidate you)? Tried to
control where you go, who you talk to, what you can wear, or what you can do? Told you that you are “crazy” or
“worthless"? Stolen or tried to control your money? Looked at you or acted in ways that scare you? Threatened you, your
possessions, your pets, or loved ones? Physically hurt you or tried to hurt you? Forced you to engage in sexual activities?
Threatened to commit suicide or kill you if you left them?
If you answer yes to any of the questions above or identify with any of the behaviors detailed above, VA can help.
Some people experience only one of these forms of violence while others may experience more than one. IPV can be a
single event or can last for many years. No matter what, no one deserves to be treated this way.
Resources

If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

Contact the National Domestic Hotline at 1-800-799- SAFE (7233) or on the web at www.thehotline.org for
24-hour confidential support, local referrals, safety planning, housing options, and legal resources.

Contact your local VA hospital and ask to speak with the Women Veterans Program Manager.

Develop a safety plan.

VA employees who are impacted by IPV can contact their Employee Assistance Program or visit it on the web at
www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/worklife/employee-assistance-programs/.

Talk to your primary care provider, who can refer you to a specialist if needed.

Check out Futures Without Violence at www.futureswithoutviolence.org to learn about educational programs
designed to end violence against women.

An IPV Webinar training conference is scheduled for October 9. For information on how to attend, visit
conferences.bwjp.org/webconferencedetail.aspx?confid=350.
BREVARD ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2014 | PAGE 7
11 Ways to Save When You're Broke
We always want what we don't have, and for most Americans it's a full savings account. The national saving rate was less
than .5 percent in 2013 but most Americans still choose to live beyond their means, until they have nothing to live on. So if
you're ready to tighten the purse strings, the Illinois CPA Society developed 11 ways to help you save during tough times:
1.) Avoid Paying Fees.
2.) Take advantage of sales and use coupons.
3.) Shop around and compare prices.
4.) Evaluate your cable/satellite TV package.
5.) Eliminate magazine subscriptions or reduce the amount of magazines you receive.
6.) Calculate the cost of your commute.
7.) Scale back on the vacation.
8.) Alter your attitude about saving.
9.) Experiment with less expensive products and places.
10.) Eat meals at home and prepare a lunch to take to work.
11.) Change the 'need it now' mentality.
If you follow these steps and save money on the little expenses you could prepare yourself for any big financial emergencies
that could arise.
Additional Resources
Military Saves is a campaign coordinated by the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and is dedicated to
helping servicemembers and their families save money, reduce debt, and build wealth. militarysaves.org
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a Federal Government-sponsored retirement savings and investment plan. It offers the same
type of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under "401(k)" plans. www.tsp.gov
Choose to Save® national public education and outreach program is dedicated to raising awareness about the need to plan
and save for long-term personal financial security. www.choosetosave.org
Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is an association of non-profit consumer organizations that was established to
advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education. www.consumerfed.org
Investor.gov is an online resource to help invest wisely and avoid fraud. www.investor.gov
MyMoney.gov is a product to strengthen financial capability and increase access to financial services for all Americans.
www.mymoney.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace
and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. www.consumer.ftc.gov
BREVARD ARMY STRONG COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2014 | PAGE 8