Photo By Sgt. Collin MacKown | The Fort Carson Soldier Recovery Unit hosted a Caregivers Resource Fair to assist...... read more read more
Leaving the military can be an extremely challenging and unsure time for veterans and their families. Transitioning individuals can experience emotional challenges as well as practical concerns such as finding employment, housing, and medical care.
To address those concerns, the Fort Carson Soldier Recovery Unit will host its second annual Resource Fair on Tues., Sept. 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the William “Bill” Reed Special Events Center on Fort Carson. More than 60 Veteran-friendly organizations who want to hire and support Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families transitioning from the military into the civilian sector will participate in the event.
The Resource Fair is open to all military veterans and active-duty military members and spouses within 18 months of retiring or transitioning.
“Nearly 200,000 service members leave active duty and must reorient into the civilian labor force each year,” said Lt. Col. Chad Henderson, commander of the Soldier Recovery Unit. “In August 2023, the veteran unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, up from 2.8 percent the previous month and 2.4 percent the prior year. Events like ours help connect our veterans with employers who want to hire service members because they are truly qualified, capable, and have valuable skills, hard won in the military, that make them more desirable in the civilian sector.”
Henderson added the resource fair also provides an opportunity for transitioning service members and their families to speak with organizations who provide substantial support services – mental health, case management, financial support, legal aid, recreational opportunities, care giver support, therapy dogs, assistance navigating the VA system, and educational and training programs – as they transition to the next phase of their career.
Sgt. Christina Femia understands, all too well, the struggle of leaving the military.
“My husband, Steven, was unemployed for three years after leaving the military, which led to him becoming severely depressed,” said Femia, a medical logistics specialist here at Fort Carson. “The Wounded Warrior Project reached out to him and helped connect him with the Helmets to Hardhats organization. H2H got him into an apprenticeship program for masonry, bricklaying, and carpentry.”
And one of Steven’s first jobs was helping build the large stone memorial and museum at the World Trade Center site.
“My husband’s father, a bank executive, was in the World Trade Center when the first plane hit and Steven joined the military days after the towers fell,” Femia, who followed her husband into the military a couple years later. “So, seeing him there helping build the memorial, it was very emotional for the both of us.”
Femia’s father-in-law survived. And if it wasn’t for the WWP, Femia isn’t sure her husband would be here today.
“They must have known he wasn’t doing well,” Femia added. “They constantly invited him to activities like sports games or family retreats. “It provided the camaraderie that he lost when he left the military.”
It's not just about employment; however, said Tennille Wren, one of the Recovery Care Coordinators at the SRU.
“Veteran suicide is elevated during the first year of transition to civilian life. Veteran suicide rates are more than double that of active service members and nearly double that of the general Veteran population,” said Wren referring to the transition period known as the “deadly gap” when Department of Defense services like psychiatric care are no longer available, and veterans have not connected to Veterans Affairs or community resources for support.
“According to multiple Psychiatry Research studies the suicide rates increase in the early months after transition, peak by the end of the first year, and remain high for years after. The Resource Fair helps identify suicide prevention services that can be tailored to veterans’ unique needs,” said Wren, a U.S. Army veteran herself. “We want to provide a ‘warm hand off’ to these community organizations who do the work that we do, but on the veterans’ side and can significantly impact the overall well-being of our transitioning service members.”
This type of event not only benefits service members and families within 18 months of retiring or transitioning, but retired individuals who might what to see what support services are currently available, added Wren. In fact, the fair also helps educate transition service providers.
“We have so many organizations,” Wren continued. “It’s really like ‘drowning at the feast’ sometimes. The Resource Fair bridges that gap by allowing transition care providers and leaders to network with the various community organizations and employers attending the fair. In the end, we have a better understanding of what each organization does and who to call when we need help.”
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.14.2023 15:42 |
| Story ID: | 453459 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 239 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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