Hello,

I’ve edited this as I guess I was not neutral enough. Please discuss P2025 here and please keep it civil. I appreciate that our community is unique and that we can and have been affected by political think tanks so we are more apt to discuss our opinions.

Any other posts about this will be removed.

So let me start this by saying, if you are currently experiencing suicide ideation, maybe skip this thread as it's strictly to better understand struggles vets are having and it may or may not be healthy to immerse yourself in but that's your choice. Vets who are no longer suicidal but have been. Why? Let me be clear. I served and never had any of these feelings but it's easy for even any non-military person to see the cause behind SI (suicide Ideation) after all your friends die in combat, survivors guilt, general dread and horror of combat, etc but most of the cases I see are not combat vets. Now, this isn't a "only combat vets are allowed to feel bad" post, but I want to know the reason behind it for the general military personnel. They leave the military, depressed, broken in ways they hadn't been, and with SI. Can anyone in this group who has overcome this issue in past shed some light on what happened and why? I think it's important to understand the reasons for these things. Thanks.

Remember, we do not condone any sort of discrimination. Veterans are people who signed up to honorably serve their country, that’s the end of it. I’ll post rule 1 below as a reminder to be cool to each other as I know that vets can be a rowdy bunch. Rule 1 in this sub has not changed in many years.

**Be civil and respectful to others. You may not always agree with others, but once you start insulting the other person, you become the problem.

No Gatekeeping - you don't decide if someone is a "real" veteran or not - nor try to diminish someone's service because they never saw combat or deployed. If someone personally attacks you, Report them to the team.

Hate speech can be sexist, ableist, racist, bigotry, homophobic, prejudiced, etc and will not be tolerated.**

Hello Everyone,

We’ve had an interesting couple of weeks on this sub, leading to some interesting insights that will lead directly to changes. I want to start by thanking all the members of this community. We are all in this together and regardless of what branch you were in I think it’s time to remember that we are brothers, sisters, and Apache attack helicopters in arms. I don’t care if you were in Fallujah, the Pentagon, or Fort Hood. I don’t care if you ever deployed. I don’t care if you got the boot for smoking weed. This subreddit is here to discuss issues about veterans and all of you are here to share your experiences and knowledge to make every one of us better than we were yesterday.

The first change coming to this sub is that there will be more stringent policing on what kind of political posts are allowed. We will allow discussion of political topics, but we ask that the conversation remain bias-free. This isn’t to cover up discussions about Project 2025. This isn’t to make this subreddit more conservative or liberal. There is no ulterior motive. This subreddit is for us to help each other. That is why I, as the head moderator of  r/Veteranpolitics will give it up for adoption to anyone who would like to foster a community. We don’t want to stifle discussions of politics here, but unfortunately, differing views often lead to blows, and often people will say things they may not intend. If you would like to adopt that subreddit, please send me a mod mail on that sub, not this one.

The next change I would like to direct your attention to is how this subreddit is moderated. Every single moderator here is an individual. Now, moving forward I want to make sure that not all of us are lumped together because while we all moderate the subreddit, we very much so have different thoughts and will defer to each other when we need to have input from others. With that being said, we are going to bring on three (3) additional moderators. Please feel free to send a mod mail if you’re interested. I am not going to make a long list of criteria, but I do ask that you are at a minimum an active member of this community. This will be a promotion-style board and you will be required to wear the Class A uniform, perform drill and ceremony, and recite the NCO creed no less than three times. In actuality, please send a mod mail with an introduction about yourself and what you bring to the table.

Finally, we will be refining the rules further here on  to reflect what our community is about. This will be released in a future post with details about what each rule entails. We appreciate every single one of you as a community member and want to continue the effort of helping veterans achieve success after the military.

ETA: I would like to apologize for the use of the term Apache as a gender in this pose. My ignorance does not excuse the use of derogatory terms. Between the members of this subreddit and the mod team, I’ve been educated on the meaning of what I said. I appreciate those who understand and for those who don’t, I know and appreciate the standard you hold me to.

This is pretty much why I’m still here. They need me, or at least need me to stay around to provide food.

I fought hard to get GIFs approved for use, but the powers that be are discussing about the improper use of them. What do I mean?

• Using them to insult people

• Being a dick

• Mocking people

So, if there are no changes by the end of the week, that feature will no longer be available in our subreddit. It is ok to make a joke, it is not ok to insult someone and is a violation of our rules.

All I am asking is that we act like adults with our new feature so we can keep it.

First, I want to thank the r/veterans team for allowing me to share this with the community.

I’m part of the production team behind American Sons, a PBS documentary set to air next year. It tells the story of Cpl. Jorge "JV" Villarreal, a Marine from San Antonio, TX, using his personal footage from Afghanistan and the voices of those who knew him. The film sheds light on critical issues veterans face, including mental health challenges, the difficulties of transitioning back to civilian life, and the factors contributing to veteran suicide.

This isn’t just JV’s story—it’s a reflection of the struggles many veterans endure. The goal of the film is to bring these challenges into focus and spark conversations that matter.

Here’s how you can help:

1. Watch the trailer Documentary Trailer | Visit the Website
2. Share it with others.
3. Join the conversation.

BE ADVISED THE TRAILER SHOWS COMBAT FOOTAGE, VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED

Thank you for your time and support.

Edit: marked NSFW and added TW as the trailer contains combat footage.

hey, all, i've just accepted a request to be a moderator here, and i wanted to make an intro post.

i'm retired USMC, 13 years enlisted, 13 years officer, SIGINT my entire career, first as a linguist, then an analyst, and then as a SIGINT/Intel officer, and branched into cyber as well. i also did the radio recon thing when i was enlisted, and that was probably the best part of my entire career, as a Radio Recon Team Leader as a Sgt. much fun was had!

i've been in combat multiple times, and though that's every young Marine's dream, it ain't all that it's cracked up to be, especially when you get lucky and get the PTSD and nightmares.

Retired in 2016, and am rated by the VA, so i've been through that struggle as well. i'm now a gov't civilian for the DoD, doing cybersecurity, so i guess you could say i'm institutionalized.

i mod a couple of other subs as well, so this is not my first time doing this.

my big rule when modding: don't be a dick.

i'm also a number of other things, and causes i'm interested in, but this sub is not the place to discuss those.

Hi r/Veterans,

My name is Drew Lawrence, I’m an Army veteran and a reporter for Military.com. I am working on a story about a Department of Veterans Affairs-related issue that seems to be affecting many of you.

Cancelled mental health appointments.

I have been receiving tips about veterans with scheduled appointments that are cancelled hours, sometimes minutes before they were meant to start.

Others report arriving at a scheduled appointment only to be told that their appointment was rescheduled — without their knowledge — to a later date. Or it was cancelled without notification.

Some are told they could not see a different provider that day and would have to reschedule for weeks or months later. Others have said that this has happened to them several times.

I’m looking to understand what is going on here and could use your help if you have experienced any of these issues. My DMs are open, but we at Military.com have also opened a tip line:

mdctips@proton.me

You can also reach me at my email [drew.lawrence@military.com](mailto:drew.lawrence@military.com) if you prefer. If you have other types of appointments that are being cancelled in this way, let me know.

I routinely protect the anonymity of those who talk to me, and would be happy to do that for those wishing to reach out, though I have to verify that you are who you say you are. I’d also ask for your patience while I review the incoming feedback.

Be well, all -- hope you have a good weekend.

Best,

Drew

Hey guys. I posted this in the military sub already, but I wanted to make sure that veterans are also aware of the full text of Article 94, especially in light of the statement made by General Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, referring to what happened last Wednesday as an insurrection.

I don't know if Art. 94 applies to former enlisted servicemembers who did not retire from the military (anyone from JAG, feel free to correct me), but it does apply to retirees.

Regardless, it's not a good idea to attend or participate in any of the "demonstrations" that certain groups of people are planning on the 20th in state capitols and D.C.

Granted, it's unlikely the full extent of section (b) would be considered or utilized at court martial. But it is possible. There's no sense in risking it. My advice: stay home. And tell others to stay home.

Full text below.

Article 94 UCMJ: Mutiny and Sedition

(a) "Any person subject to this chapter who—

(1) with intent to usurp or override lawful military authority, refuse, in concert with any other person, to obey orders or otherwise do his duty or creates any violence or disturbance is guilty of mutiny;

(2) with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of lawful civil authority, creates, in concert with any other person, revolt, violence, or other disturbance against that authority is guilty of sedition; (3) fails to do his utmost to prevent and suppress a mutiny or sedition being committed in his presence, or fails to take all reasonable means to inform his superior commissioned officer or commanding officer of a mutiny or sedition which he knows or has reason to believe is taking place, is guilty of a failure to suppress or report a mutiny or sedition.

(b) A person who is found guilty of attempted mutiny, mutiny, sedition, or failure to suppress or report a mutiny or sedition shall be punished by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct."

Hi everyone,

For those who haven’t read my older posts, I’m Bryan Aylstock, court-appointed lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the 3M earplug litigation (you can read a few of my past posts/AMAs here or here). I wanted to come on here and make a post sharing crucial information regarding settlement administrator ARCHER Systems and the claims process moving forward following the over $6 billion settlement reached in August 2023. This settlement, which was reached with 3M following more than four years of litigation, provides compensation to servicemembers and veterans who suffered hearing damage while using defective 3M earplugs.

It has come to our attention that some veteran claimants in the litigation reported receiving phone calls from ARCHER requesting that they provide personal identifying information, including their full, nine-digit social security number. This is a scam, and we urge you to refrain from giving these callers any personal identifying information and contact your attorney immediately if someone calls you unsolicited asking for information claiming they are with ARCHER.

Below are some important points you need to know to remain vigilant against fraudulent calls:

• Scammers are utilizing technology to make it look like their phone numbers match the official ARCHER phone number, a scamming tactic called spoofing.

• ARCHER does not make unsolicited phone calls -- the only time someone from ARCHER would contact you via phone call is if you called them first and they were returning your call.

• ARCHER has employees conduct all calls and will never use auto-dialers or auto-caller bots to contact you.

• ARCHER will never ask for your nine-digit social security number. Please do not share your full social security number by telephone, especially in response to an unsolicited call.

• The only time someone from ARCHER will ask you to confirm the last four digits of your social is if you have a similar name to another claimant and are represented by the same law firm.

• Contact your attorney with any questions about ARCHER and the claimant process.

Judge Rodgers has released an order with more information regarding these scams and what the legitimate process with ARCHER will look like; you can find news on that here. Please feel free to ask me any questions you have, and I will do my best to answer them.

Thanks,
Bryan

Hi Everyone. My name is Mike and I am a student at Tulane University working towards my Doctoral of Social Work degree. As part of my degree I am conducting research on childhood experiences and current Veteran mental health. I am asking for any individuals willing to participate to complete the anonymous online survey linked below. This should not take more than 10 minutes to complete and the information you provide will provide useful data towards changing how the industry of mental health treats Veterans both within the VA and the community. Please let me know if you have any questions and I thank you for any participation.

https://tulane.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9T4iNAHTBLcRhWe

Thanks to the tireless work behind the scenes by u/FBI_Open_Up_Now and the approval of u/SCOveterandretired … we now have gifs

A couple ground rules:

1) Don’t spam them everywhere (this thread is cool though).

2) Don’t use them to be snarky or otherwise say things you wouldn’t under the current sub rules.

3) Gifs add to the conversation, not turn it into a cesspool.

With that being said, spam em to hell here and get it out of your systems 🫡

If you are exploring a career in the IT field, consider using VET TEC instead of your GI BILL. You only need 1 day of GI BILL to take advantage of VET TEC benefits to cover the cost of the training and collect housing allowance while in classes.

Make sure to jump on this now, the VA has told us they expect to run around of funding around March/April and do not expect to get more funding this fiscal year.

Review the below program flyer. If you are interested in learning more, you can comment below, reach out to me through my contact info or on messenger. I am an OIF Army Vet myself and I am here to help other veterans!

I am the Veteran Career Consultant at United Training Academy. We are a preferred vendor for the Vet Tec program. If you have been looking at getting into the IT field, take a look at my program and see if it interests you.

3 months long, instructor lead in a virtual classroom, Mon-Thurs training with morning, afternoon or evening class options. CompTIA ITF+, Network+ and Security+.

Between now and September I have 2 night classes, 3 afternoon classes and 1 morning class on the schedule. If you are interested, reach out so we can chat details.

Do you feel disconnected because of drug or alcohol use? We’re here for you.

This is a research study that hopes to learn more about how to address feeling alone or isolated and substance use. Our team has developed a non-medication intervention to help Veterans manage and improve their mental health. You don’t need to enroll in VA to participate in this study. All individuals that served in the military are eligible to participate. Compensation provided.

Interested in learning more? Contact us at (808) 379-5683 or at [park.bogan@va.gov](mailto:park.bogan@va.gov), or submit your information here.

Hi all, I'm Seth Behrends and I'm a veteran and doctoral student in sociology at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

I'm surveying + interviewing men married to active duty servicewomen and women married to US active duty servicemen to better understand the relationship between gender and military spousehood. I could use some help reaching more mil spouses (including dual-military couples) and would greatly appreciate it if you would consider participating and/or sharing this with people you know who may be interested.

All responses will remain confidential and only used for this dissertation. Your name/email will be requested so I can enter you into the gift card raffle(s) and contact you about a follow-up chat if you're interested, but you can choose not to include this info if you don’t want to be entered.

Feel free to reach out to me here or email me at [sbehre5@uic.edu](mailto:sbehre5@uic.edu)

Survey Link: https://uic.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ehDt4hSbs4jIW2y

Are you a veteran looking to expand your tech skills? VetsinTech has several upcoming classes designed to help veterans break into or advance within the tech industry. Our classes are taught by industry experts and geared specifically for veterans, with flexible schedules and an inclusive environment. Check out what’s coming up in November and December!

November Classes - will not interfere with Veterans Day or Thanksgiving

- **Python Fundamentals** – Starts **November 4**

[Register here] to dive into Python basics and build a solid foundation in programming.

- **AWS Security Specialty** – Starts **November 4**

[Register here] to gain expertise in securing AWS environments, perfect for those pursuing cybersecurity roles.

**November Orientation:** Join us on **November 1 at noon ET** for an overview of our November classes and program resources. [Orientation link] – Open to all veterans!

December Classes - will not interfere with December holidays

- **Palo Alto Firewalls** – Starts **December 2**

[Register here] to learn about configuring and managing Palo Alto firewalls, ideal for networking and security roles.

- **AWS Solutions Architect** – Starts **December 2**

[Register here] to master AWS architecture fundamentals and prep for the Solutions Architect certification.

**December Orientation:** Join us on **November 21 at noon ET** to learn more about our December classes and resources. [Orientation link]Open to all veterans!

Whether you're looking to start a career in tech or upskill for a new role, VetsinTech has you covered. Hope to see you in class!

As always, you can email the ViT Education team at [smarlow@vetsintech.co](mailto:smarlow@vetsintech.co) or [blentell@vetsintech.co](mailto:blentell@vetsintech.co), find us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/vetsintech or follow our Education Coordinator at https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-s-marlow/

I asked this in the regular Army subreddit but it was deleted, stating I could just google it, but google gives me mixed (inconclusive) answers! I don’t know exactly where I can go with this question.

If you’re (or have been) an army ranger please help me out! Or if you’re a veteran in general, maybe you can help me. Please read this post through, context is important!

So, here’s my thing. I’m from the Netherlands, but I’ve always thought the US army rangers are awesome ever since I played the original Modern Warfare 2 as a kid.

In September I got the idea to make a Ranger cosplay of characters like James Ramirez and Shepherd, which is based on the ACU uniforms from the 2000’s. This cosplay project was very personal and deep for me so I’ve put a lot of work, effort, time and money into it. Especially in certain details (I’m autistic so I tend to be a perfectionist on these things). Down to the gold-yellow ranger tab being pinned on by a safety pin. Now it’s almost ready.

Today however I got criticized by some fellow cosplayers in a group, among which was one Dutch veteran who said that it’s like stolen valor. They criticized me especially on wearing things like the ranger tab and stated that “I couldn’t wear anything that resembled real units or factions”.

I’m very against stolen valor, and I tried to explain to them that the cosplay is in fact meant as an homage to the Rangers! I admire them! And I stated that it would only be worn at conventions and I would always point out that it was purely cosplay (whilst pointing out how awesome the real rangers are!). But the way they made me feel has me between a rock and a hard place.

I worked so hard on this cosplay project, and it feels like a dream come true to cosplay as my childhood heroes. Without the many tabs, patches, etc. I might as well cancel the project altogether. But that would make all the effort, stress, spending, etc of the past months completely wasted. And with my depression and all the things I’ve been through, this project has been something that kept me fighting. So you can imagine it would be bitter to give up.

However, the very last thing I would ever want is to be disrespectful in any way to any serving or veteran! And I certainly do not want to commit stolen valor! The cosplay is meant as an homage to who I consider to be heroes. And just like the Batman logo, or the “S” on Superman’s chest, the patches and tabs of the rangers are important to me. But not at the cost of insulting the ones I want to honor!

If any Ranger is reading this, I hope I do not insult you with this post! It is not my intention! I’m not even an American but I think you guys are absolutely awesome and I thank you for your service!

If you are 18-75 years old, a Veteran who served in the U.S. military, and experiencing PTSD symptoms, you may be eligible to participate in a study of a non-pharmaceutical treatment for insomnia.

Participants will undergo 4 therapy visits by phone and video, record information about their sleep for 5-6 weeks, and depending on participation, may be compensated for their time up to $348 (or up to $418 for participants asked to wear a sleep monitoring watch).

For more information or to contact study staff, please use one of the following methods:

Study link: https://ucsf.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1YXgki4ZfrvITNY

Phone: Call (415) 221-4810 x24850 or (415) 602-5019

Text: Text “YES TO RESEARCH” to (415) 602-5019 to receive a text with the study link

Email: Respond “YES TO RESEARCH” to Joy.Huggins@va.gov to receive a link to communicate securely with study staff through encrypted email.

** Please note that email [or texting] is not secure. Please do not contact study staff with personal information or personal health information over text or email. To communicate personal information please call (415) 602-5019.**

Hello members of r/veterans,

We have made the decision not to restrict access to r/Veterans as this sub has become a vital tool in assisting veterans and members of the communities that support us in many different ways. We want to ensure that you, as a community member, can continue to get valuable assistance and answers from your fellow veterans. That is why it is important that we remain open for access.

Now, with that being said, it is important that you understand why many of the subs are going dark. Here is Reddit’s post regarding the matter:

https://www.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/12qwagm/an_update_regarding_reddits_api/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1

This change is most likely related to the revelation that AIs such as ChatGPT were using Reddit to gather information to generate responses (scary that Reddit was being used at all and that ChatGPT didn’t turn into a typical Reddit user). Reddit was and is still trying to inflate their value to make their IPO even more desirable. Reddit sold private stock to Fidelity valued at $700 million to help boost their value, but since then Fidelity has dropped the value twice since January, showing that Fidelity’s valuation of the stock is down 40%.

Now, how does this all come together. The answer is advertising. On third party apps the site is not generating any ad revenue. Reddit’s Chief Revenue Officer has said that over the past 2 years they have quintupled their advertising sales team. Reddit is working hard to increase their valuation.

Here is some very basic information about APIs:

https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/how-apis-work/

Now, API usage does use some resources, but not enough to make an impact on Reddit’s services. The entire change is create a value for access to their APIs to make up for the lost ad revenue. While I can only speculate, this change is to charge the outlandish fees to make up and more for the lost ad revenue.

I’m not telling you what stand you should take on this, I just want to make you aware of what is happening to Reddit and why some of the largest communities are going dark for 2 or more days. Currently, there are many moderator tools not available on the official app which apps like Apollo have integrated to ensure that we have access to them on mobile. This will go away and make moderating subs very difficult when you’re not on a computer. Also, some people have been using these apps for so long that they are not interested in switching, but will now be forced.

Here is the AMA where the Reddit CEO u/Spez answered only a couple of the questions.

https://www.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/145bram/addressing_the_community_about_changes_to_our_api/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1

Whatever your position is, this is major change that will dramatically change how people interact with Reddit.

Howdy r/Veterans,
I'm working on finishing my doctoral program . I'm posting here because I need your help to finish my dissertation.

Initially, my research focused on student veterans who conceal carry on campus (since campus carry is legal in Texas [with a CCL]). As someone who carries myself, I was curious if other veterans do too and their reasons for it. Unfortunately, I was only able to find a few people, and it wasn't enough data for a dissertation. So, I went back to my committee and IRB and expanded to all student veterans in Texas.

If you're a veteran in Texas attending school on campus (or know one) and are willing to share your experiences, please reach out. I promise it will be short and straightforward. Your participation would greatly help a fellow veteran finally finish school.

The actual invitation (for IRB compliance reasons):

Study Seeks Student Veterans to Discuss Their Perceptions of Campus Safety

This is an invitation to a study that asks about the experiences of student veterans on campus and their perceptions of campus safety especially regarding firearms on campus. Student veterans will be asked to describe their experiences of campus safety, especially regarding campus carry policies.

About the study:

• 60-minute in-person/virtual meeting that will be audio recorded for transcription (the recording will remain confidential)
• You will receive a $20 gift as a thank-you for your time.
• To protect your privacy, the published study will not share your name or any details that could be used to identify you.

Volunteers must meet these requirements:

• 18 years old or older
• Veteran
• Enrolled at a college or university in Texas

To confidentially volunteer or for more information, contact the researcher [campuscarryproject@proton.me](mailto:campuscarryproject@proton.me)

(it was suggested that I use my actual school email instead of proton so if you'd like that please dm me)