Veterans Day is here and all of us at AMS would like to salute and thank the US military veterans among us. Our salute goes out to all AMS employees who have served in the US Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard and the reserve units of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. We thank you for putting your life on the line to support US interests abroad and keep us safe and protected at home.
We could look into how Veterans Day came to be, but instead of looking at the history let’s do something different this year and look at the Veterans themselves and see how we might care for and appreciate them.
What Injuries do Veterans suffer from?
As they say, “Freedom isn’t free.” The veterans served us, and how can we now serve them? First we need to ask, what injuries do veterans suffer from the most? Our answer came from Medline:
“Shrapnel and gunshot wounds, lost limbs, head and brain injuries, tinnitus and hearing loss, sprains and strains, and limited range of motion and exposure to environmental hazards.” The article goes on to say, “Being in combat and being separated from your family can be stressful. The stress can put service members and veterans at risk for mental health problems. These include anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance use. Suicide can also be a concern.” To find out more, click HERE.
What about Veteran homelessness?
We have also heard about homelessness among veterans. At Greendoors we found the following regarding veteran homelessness. We encourage readers to read the entire article as it is informative, surprising and incredibly sad. Below is an excerpt:
“Veterans between the ages of 18 and 30 are twice as likely as adults in the general population to be homeless, and the risk of homelessness increases significantly among young veterans who are poor.” The article goes on to ask how many veterans are homeless? The answer: “While only 8% of Americans can claim veteran status, 17% of our homeless population is made up of veterans. In 2010, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) estimated that on any given night there were 76,000 homeless veterans sleeping on American streets.” Visit the Greendoors website and read more HERE.
We might ask, what is the primary cause of veteran homelessness? The obvious answer is poverty, but another reason is that veterans lack support networks. How can we help? For answers on how to contribute to support networks we went to three different websites, Wounded Warrior Project, Vehicles for Veterans and National Veterans Foundation.
Offering Several ways to help Veterans
At Wounded Warrior Project we see the opportunity to donate and have your gift matched. Quoting from the website: “Many of the veterans who fought for us returned home with life-changing injuries. We can never repay them for their extraordinary sacrifices. But we can show our gratitude by providing them with the free WWP programs and services they urgently need. Your Veterans Day gift will be matched $1-for-$1 up to $200,000 by the Blue Angels Foundation in support of our Warrior Care Network.” Visit the Wounded Warrior Project HERE.
At Vehicles for Veterans we find the following: “You can help disabled veterans by donating a car, truck, boat, RV, ATV, or motorcycle to Vehicles For Veterans, whether the vehicle runs or not. Thousands of veterans across the country rely on funding from the programs which Vehicles For Veterans benefits. Give back to those who gave everything to the country today! Donations from people like you and your community can help to bring assistance to every veteran in need!” Visit Vehicles for Veterans HERE.
And finally, at National Veterans Foundation we find a list of ten different things people can do to help veterans in their area, from providing transportation to providing food to doing home repairs to visiting a wounded vet in a facility nearby. We encourage visiting the website and finding ways to help in your area. Click HERE for the National Veterans Foundation website.
Thank You for Your Service to all Veterans working at AMS Fulfillment. And Thank You for Your Service to all Vets.
Let’s ask one last question. Does AMS Fulfillment reach out to Veterans organizations to hire vets? The answer is absolutely Yes!! On both coasts AMS HR works with Goodwill, as they provide training targeted toward veterans with disabilities. AMS HR Departments also work with the VA in Los Angeles and Delaware as well as the VA Shelters. We have worked to hire veterans for years, and homeless vets as well. AMS is a B Corporation, aiming to ‘do good’ for the world, and caring for and about our veterans is high on the list.
Thank you to LaTanya Warren, AMS East Human Resources Manager, for offering her view on hiring veterans and valuing a diverse workforce:
“Hiring a diverse workforce is important to us because it shows that a company values and encourages the differences in its employees. Companies that prioritize diversity are often more attractive to a wider pool of candidates, including those who value inclusivity and equality. Diversity brings together individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds and experiences who often feel more engaged and valued when their unique contributions are recognized and appreciated.”
Have an enjoyable Veterans Day!