I’ve mentioned before that I come from a pretty long line of military and war veterans. My grandfathers, various uncles, and my daddy were all soldiers.

Even my ex-husband, God bless him, was a Marine.

I’ve admired the Purple Hearts. I’ve sat through the 3 volley salutes. I’ve listened as Taps was played and once watched as the American flag was folded and presented to my grandmother. I remember when it was handed down to my mother. One day it will be passed down to me.

In time there will be others to keep it company.

Fortunately, none of the soldiers in my family died during military service, but that doesn’t mean that I – and all Americans – shouldn’t pause this Memorial Day to celebrate and remember the lives of the brave men and women who died protecting and serving our country.

However, once the cookouts, the parades, and the visits to the cemeteries are over, maybe you or someone you know would benefit from the following resources for people who have lost loved ones during service:

• Grief and Recovery Resources from USMemorialDay.org highlights resources and directories of resources.
• National Association for Society of Military Widow from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a non-chartered organization for military widows.
• Society of Military Widows has been serving the “interests of women whose husbands died while on active military duty, of a service-connected illness, or during disability or regular retirement from the armed forces” since 1968.
• Survivor Support Organizations from Military.com provides a list of resources and support for the difficult times of losing loved ones.
• Veterans and Combat Loss Resources from Griefnet.org offers a very extensive list of support resources available for veterans and their loved ones as well as the loved ones of the deceased. It covers all branches of the military.
• Operation Healthy Reunions (specifically Loss of A Family Member) from Mental Health America rounds up a number of support groups and services.
• Grief Support Groups for Military from Good Grief Resources highlights resources available for widows, siblings, and other survivors.

If you know of any other resources and support groups, or have a story you’d like to share, feel free to make use of the comments section below.

Otherwise, I wish you a Blessed Memorial Day.

Image: Newscom

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Post from: Blisstree

Grief And Support Resources For Military Widows, Family Members, and Loved Ones

Tonight’s episode of Boston Legal was an emotional one for me. Sure, Alan Shore’s closing arguments get me fired up and ready to start changing the world every Tuesday night, but tonight’s episode was particularly engaging.

And, it was Shirley’s closing argument – not Alan’s – that did it for me. The frank, bottom line closing argument she gave in defense of a Vietnam war veteran living with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder who was being charged with killing seals on multiple occasions. Because the veteran had killed the seals numerous times, even though he’d been warned, Shirley wanted to “plead insanity.” (Of course, the bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder were to be key pieces of artillery.) The veteran, however, refused such a plea, claiming “crazy” would have been not killing the seals and allowing himself to starve to death.

Touché.

After finally deciding how to approach the case, Shirley ended with a powerful closing argument focused on how it made much more sense to provide food to our country’s veterans than to spend X number of dollars a day keeping them in jail for trying to provide food for themselves.

Instead of relying on the crazy train to carry them on past those a possible prison sentence, Shirley relied on the judge’s (and our country’s) conscience to simply see the bigger picture and do the right thing.

Naturally, Shirley won. Rather than telling the veteran he should have applied for welfare and throwing him in prison, the judge reminded the prosecuting side of the moral obligations we as a country have when it comes to the men and women who defend us, and I walked away singing the National Anthem and wanting to donate money or food to…well, lots of people.

Tonight’s Boston Legal episode was an interesting theme combination for me. Animal rights and mental health and soldiers – all in one episode? It was all almost too much for my little advocate heart. However, in the end, I was pleased and not at all surprised – as the Boston Legal writers have always, in my opinion, handled mental illness in an entertaining way and without promoting stigma.

Image source and credit.

Post from: Blisstree

Boston Legal Takes On Mental Illness Once Again