Supporting Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families - A Guest Post By Hazel Bridges of Aging Wellness
Supporting Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families
Helping those who’ve served their country should be more than a holiday gesture—it should be a consistent commitment to giving back. Veterans, active-duty service members, and their families often face unique challenges that require thoughtful, ongoing support. From finding jobs to accessing healthcare or transitioning into civilian life, there are many meaningful ways you can make a difference. Whether you give your time, resources, or expertise, your effort can create ripple effects that last a lifetime for those who’ve sacrificed in uniform.
Support Entrepreneurial Dreams
Many veterans want to start businesses after they leave the military, bringing discipline, leadership, and vision to the world of entrepreneurship. Helping them connect with small business resources, mentorship programs, or funding opportunities can be game-changing. Organizations like the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development offer tools and grants tailored for this community. Even informal help—like reviewing a business plan or introducing them to a trusted accountant—can make a big difference in turning their ideas into reality.
Assist with Career Transitions
Many veterans leave service with highly transferable skills, but translating military experience into a civilian résumé can be tricky. Offering to help a veteran write or improve their résumé is a simple yet impactful way to support them. Help them tailor their resume to each position they're applying for, ensuring that the language aligns with what hiring managers expect. Encourage adjustments to keywords in the skills section so that it’s the best fit for what each employer needs or is looking for. You can point them toward templates and clear guidelines for writing a resume that makes their strengths and experience shine.
Help Train or Find a Service Dog
For some veterans, especially those dealing with PTSD or physical injuries, service dogs are more than companions—they’re lifelines. Helping connect a veteran with a reputable service dog organization can improve their day-to-day quality of life dramatically. You can research trusted nonprofits that provide trained service dogs at little to no cost, or raise funds to support the often-lengthy application and training process. If you have experience with dogs or animal training, volunteering with these organizations is another way to make a lasting impact.
Connect Them to Career Training and Education
Veterans often return home with a desire to keep learning or pivot careers, and education plays a big role in that transition. Helping a veteran connect with a degree program to help them advance their career after the service can be one of the most valuable gifts you give. Online degrees offer flexible learning that fits their schedules and responsibilities, whether they're working or raising a family. Earning an IT degree with a focus on cybersecurity teaches them more about protecting computers and network systems—a growing field with high demand and great pay. Look into programs that specialize in supporting vets through a cybersecurity degree program designed for working adults.
Help Find or Modify Housing
Stable housing is critical for veterans and their families, especially those facing physical injuries or disabilities from their time in service. You can volunteer with or donate to organizations that build or renovate accessible homes for veterans, such as Homes For Our Troops or Operation Finally Home. If you know a veteran personally, helping them navigate housing assistance programs or advocate for necessary home modifications can provide long-term comfort and safety. Local contractors and handymen sometimes offer discounted services for this purpose, and connecting the dots can ease the burden for families juggling healthcare and other needs.
Contribute to Mental Health Access
The mental health challenges that many veterans face—anxiety, depression, PTSD—deserve real and ongoing care. Offering support can be as simple as helping them find a counselor. You could also assist in scheduling appointments, driving them to sessions, or simply being a consistent presence they can talk to. Removing logistical or emotional barriers to care is sometimes all someone needs to begin their healing journey.
Build a Local Support Network
Sometimes the most overlooked help is the simplest—creating community. Organizing small gatherings, game nights, or community dinners where veterans and their families can meet others with shared experiences builds bonds and fights isolation. You don’t need a big organization to make this happen; a few invitations and a welcoming attitude go a long way. Encourage conversations, share resources, and make space for storytelling—it’s often healing just to be heard and understood.
Helping veterans and their families isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about consistent care, compassion, and action. Whether you're helping with a resume, guiding someone toward a cybersecurity degree program, or offering a simple ride to the VA, your support fills in the gaps where systems fall short. Every veteran has a different story and a different set of needs, so the best way to help is to stay present, ask questions, and listen. By offering time, skills, or resources, you’re honoring their service in the most human way possible. Discover the inspiring stories of American heroes at Everyday Patriot, where we honor the brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom.
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Hazel Bridges is the creator of AgingWellness.org, a website that aims to provide health and wellness resources for aging seniors. She’s a breast cancer survivor. She challenges herself to live life to the fullest and inspire others to do so as well.
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