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How you can Assist in Iraq Humanitarian Efforts

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As the war in Iraq is winding down and the country is being returned to its people, those citizens that are left behind have a large task on their hands. Not only will they have to deal with rebuilding their country after the damaging effects of war, but they also need to re-evaluate who they are as a nation and how the country will be structured moving forward to encourage peace and cooperation.

These changes are not small tasks and will likely require much more skill than most average Iraqi citizens possess especially when they will still be dealing with the emotions of war and the loss of friends and family members from the conflict. Therefore, the country will need humanitarian efforts for many years to come to ensure that the transition from war to peace is carried out successfully. The following are a few ways you can assist in Iraqi humanitarian efforts as well as the main benefits of those efforts.

Extending Help

The top few ways that most people become involved in humanitarian efforts is by either donating their time or their money. Since Iraq is still struggling with conflict and is an unstable location, you may not feel safe traveling there with humanitarian groups to provide assistance. As such, you may best be able to help by donating funds to the humanitarian effort of your choosing. Even a small donation can make a major difference for those in need.

Benefits of Efforts

The top benefit of humanitarian efforts is that they help the people in Iraq feel as if those in the rest of the world have a concern for their well-being. These citizens are dealing with hardships that many people in the world don’t understand. However, by extending a helping hand, Iraqis will at least feel like others are trying to understand what they are going through and want to help.

Filed Under: Veteran Resources Tagged With: Humanitarian aid, Iraq, Iraq War, Iraqi people, Middle East, Sanctions, United States, Warfare and Conflict

When Your Children Ask About Assisted Living for YOU

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No one likess to admit that they are getting older. We live in a society that prizes youth and beauty, but everyone is getting older. As we age, we need to consider how we can ease the burden of our care for our children. We can begin this process when we are young so that everything is set up when our children approach us about assisted living communities.

First, we should decide where we want to live during our twilight years. Perhaps, the relaxing sound of the waves and the beaches would be the ideal place for our assisted living community. Or maybe, the majestic mountains would be better. Where ever we want to to leave, we should begin researching and gathering information about the assisted living communities there. We can see how much it will cost to live there, the various types of assisted living communities, even amenities for our families when they visit us.

Secondly, we need to discuss our desires and research with our families. During this time, we need to show them the assisted living community we have chosen and discuss its options. We should also be open to our children’s input and advice since they may have to help pay for this assisted living community.

Finally, we should get all of the paperwork taken care of as soon as possible since many of the best assisted living communities have long wait lists. We should not be surprised that the best assisted living communities will have wait lists that could take years to wade through before you get a spot. When considering an assisted living community, we should always be prepared since we may need to go there sooner than we think.

Filed Under: Family Support Tagged With: Assisted living, Community, Facilities, Health, Nursing home, Oregon, Senior Health, United States

Finding a Health Medicine Based on Your Unique Needs

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With the various forms of health medicine that are currently available, it can sometimes be difficult to determine which ones are best for your unique circumstances. You don’t want to take a pill that includes unnecessary side effects yet you also can’t let your health issues go untreated because they will only grow worse. Therefore, here are a few tips on how you can make more informed choices on which health medicines you take to reduce the chances of side effects and still resolve your health issues.

Consult a Doctor

You should never take prescription drugs without first consulting a doctor. First of all, it’s illegal to take prescriptions without a doctor’s authorization but it can also be dangerous. The first thing you should do when you begin experiencing health issues is schedule a doctor’s visit so they can assess your situation and provide a diagnosis. From this point, they can determine if you need a prescription or if other methods can be used for treatment.

By following the advice of a doctor, you will be less likely to take a medication that has excessive side effects. Be sure to discuss any medications you are currently taking with the physician to help avoid any interactions between different prescriptions.

Learn More

Even after your doctor has prescribed a medication, you should still research other sources that provide information on the medicine to learn about the side effects others have experienced while taking it. You should use caution when researching online sources however because you want to ensure you are reading legitimate information and not falling victim to false reports.

Once you begin taking a prescription, you should monitor how you feel and immediately report any odd health changes to your doctor. If you have a reaction to a certain prescribed medication, your doctor should be able to replace it with another option that will hopefully work better for you. The most important thing no matter which medication you end up taking is that you find the remedy needed to overcome your health issues and return to a normal daily routine.

Filed Under: Medical Resources Tagged With: Adverse effect, Health, Medicine, Pharmaceutical drug, Pharmacy, Physician, Prescription drug, United States

Helping Soldiers Reintegrate into Civilian Life After the Iraq War

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Many soldiers have spent one or more tours fighting in the Iraq war despite criticism from countless sources on the legitimacy of that war. Now these soldiers are returning home to a public that, in large part, doesn’t understand why the war is being fought and therefore, can’t possibly understand the hardships the soldiers faced in battle. The result of this gap in understanding and communication is an increased rate of post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans and the inability to readjust to civilian life. However, the public has a duty to help these soldiers reintegrate into the civilian world because the soldiers upheld the promise they made when joining the military to serve their country and they must be shown that their service is appreciated.

Even the smallest gesture can make a large difference in the ability of a veteran to readjust to civilian life upon returning from the Iraq war. If you know that a soldier served in the war, thank them for their selflessness and the time they spent at war. You don’t have to agree with the war or the reasons why the war was started – that is irrelevant in this case. What you are doing is thanking the soldier for maintaining the promise they made to their country and for the sacrifices they made.

If you are an employer, you should do everything possible to help your veteran employees readjust to the workplace environment. Keep in mind that many veterans have just returned from extremely stressful situations. Offer your support to these workers and let them know you are available to establish a special working plan for a while to help them get used to the workplace again.

The families of veterans are often the main people that need more information on how to help their soldiers return home. This is often includes giving the soldier back some of the household duties they had given up during the tour and just letting the soldier know how much they were missed during the war.

Filed Under: Veteran Resources Tagged With: Employment, History, Iraq, Iraq War, Military, Posttraumatic stress disorder, United States, Veteran

Fashion on the Racetrack

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Going to a race track for the first time can put up the challenge of dressing appropriately. It is quite a challenge when it comes to dressing appropriately. If it was a dinner or a reception, you could easily slip in to a decent dress, if it was an outdoor picnic, you could wear casuals and not care about other people. But going to a racetrack is like going to a dinner and a picnic at once. To top that many race tracks have specific rules to follow when it comes to dress conduct. You need to do a little research about the website and your options before making your choice.

First check the website of the race track; many race tracks have online sports betting sites where you can find information about the dress code. If the race track does not have a website, then you can call up and ask about the dress codes for the grand stand and other areas. The safest choice if you are still confused would be business casuals. Go for skirts, dresses or pant suits that aren’t too vibrant. Even clothes that one wears to a church or any other religious meet are acceptable. Jeans and t-shirts are accepted at all race tracks, but you will be hugely under dressed if you are sitting among the Page Six celebrities in the grand stand. One more thing to remember is a comfortable pair of shoes. Race tracks are not places where only horses run, you will also have to do lot of walking yourself to get from A to B. Hence a comfortable pair of shoes is very important so that you do not have muddy legs when you are back. Just know what areas allow what and you will not feel any embarrassment from being under dressed or overdressed.

Filed Under: Family Support Tagged With: Auto racing, Gambling, Games, Horse racing, Race track, Racing, Sport, United States

Healthily Dealing With Combat Pay

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A lot of soldiers coming back from Iraq (and indeed, from any war) are no doubt familiar with the sudden change in lifestyle. At one point, they’re nothing but a grunt, living on whatever Uncle Sam provides them with. However, through the entire conflict, they are earning combat pay that they do not necessarily see or touch. While some soldiers firmly embrace the notion of “eat, drink and be merry,” a lot of soldiers simply do not have time to leave the combat zone and go party it up. Therefore, this ends up letting them accumulate a rather hefty supply of cash that sits there until they come home. Moreover, when they get home, the whole world changes for them.

Many veterans have all kinds of benefits. From free education to free health care, the needs a returning vet may encounter are numerous. However, having a fat wad of combat pay, and not a lot of fixed expenses to devour it, is a somewhat double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can be really great to go check out the new Chevrolet models, knowing you can have any of them (or even two, if you want). But on the other hand, it can encourage a lot of bad habits. Remember Ozzie Osborne.

If you come back home with more money than you have ever seen in your account, it can be tempting to hit the club, and do everything but try to buy the place. A few hours, a lot of drinks and possibly a few less legal substances later, you end up no better off. A smart returning vet needs to take some time to think through their battle plan for living a civilian life. Money can help you achieve your goals, but it’s no substitute for having them in the first place. Be sure to make your plan sober.

Filed Under: Veteran Resources Tagged With: Barack Obama, History, Iraq, Iraq War, Soldier, Uncle Sam, United States, United States armed forces

Helping Ease the Time Away from a Soldier at War

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It appears for every soldier that returns home from Iraq, another goes away to war. The never ending cycle of soldiers going off to war means that a family has to deal with the emotions that come with seeing a soldier off to war. There are plenty feelings of anger, sadness, grief at missing them and abandonment when the soldier goes to leave for the war. However there are ways that can help you or a loved one cope with the time that the soldier is away. Learning to cope with the emotions is a key element to ensuring your mental health is taken care of while that loved one is away.

Here are three examples of some of the coping mechanisms that help ease the emotions of having a loved one overseas.

Consider getting a memento to remember each other by. Loved ones enjoy having something physical they can use to remember their loved one who is overseas. Some of the mementos that have helped others include matching designer jewelry with engraved sayings, stuffed animals, pictures and videos. All of these items will help those who have to stay at home.

Email/write often. Emails and letters from loved ones help those that are away at war just as much as they help the people who are at home. These letters are a great way to make everyone feel connected, loved and a little less lonely.

Make voice enhanced Items. Voice enhanced items are a great way to remember a loved one that is overseas or cope with the feelings of loneliness. There are books that a loved one can have their voice recorded on, stuffed animals that have voice boxes that say “I love you” in the loved ones voice and even picture frames that talk. All of these items can help someone cope with the emotions that come with having a loved one serving in the armed forces.

Filed Under: Family Support Tagged With: Grief Loss and Bereavement, Health, Iraq, Iraq War, Mental health, Posttraumatic stress disorder, Soldier, United States