#accesstoresources

Social media channels such as facebook and twitter are helping veterans by its ability to organize and centralize information. For example, according to their press release, the VA began launching social media sites in 2009 and the Department has over 100 Facebook pages, more than 50 Twitter feeds, two blogs, a YouTube channel, and a Flickr page. “Veterans should have consistent and convenient access to reliable VA information in real time using social media —whether on a smartphone or a computer,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “They also should be able to communicate directly with appropriate VA employees electronically.”

These social media channels have also provided the opportunity for veterans to engage with organizations to get relevant information, answers to questions, and assistance in getting issues resolved. The ultimate objective is for veteran organizations to develop a system for receiving feedback, determine who needs to hear it, and take necessary action if needed.

Social media also has the ability to assist troubled vets with obtaining treatment. The article, “Social media bridging gap between troubled vets and treatment,” speaks about how the wife of a former marine utilized Wounded Warrior’s Facebook page to get in contact with the director of a Combat Stress Recovery Program. Wounded Warrior Project’s Facebook page is one of the most visited sites for veterans — with about 1 million followers — and the number of people is increasing everyday. Wounded Warrior’s social media manager, Jennifer Boyce, states “the incredible growth in referral volume has been a bit of a surprise, and it shows no sign of slowing, there’s a great sense of relief when [veterans] learn that we’re here to help.”

There’s also an entire online world devoted to the veteran population. Google has recently formed a huge veteran initiative, called Vet Connect. Vet Connect assists veterans with locating and connecting with other veterans who share similar service experiences. There are various opportunities to start or join a military group. One tool, for example, is the hangouts in which a veteran can start a videochat for up to 9 people. Some past hangouts include one with Brian Stann, President and Founder of Heroes for Hire, as he discusses transitioning from the military into getting a job. Another one consists of Bob Woodruff and Martha Raddatz discussing the media's coverage of veterans’ issues, and tips for vets on how to get jobs in the media. Another group, Together we Served, is an exclusive online community where military veterans come together to rekindle old friendships, share memories, and record the legacy of their military story. One of the largest social networking sites is VetFriends.com and was created by a proud U.S. Veteran with over 1,200,000 members -- the largest online Veteran community today.  The mission of VetFriends is to reconnect, honor and support veterans and military brothers & sisters.

There are some drawbacks to social media.  One of them is the authenticity of the information.  There are several times in which the information online is inaccurate and doesn’t come from a reliable source. Also older veterans have difficulties using social media. In some cases, they don’t have the skills to use or background on this technology and therefore can’t access the information.  Though there are some challenges with social media, it truly is the way of the future.  It appears that the benefits outweigh the negatives moving forward. For instance, one benefit is the multiplier effect. This quickly enables the dissemination of information regarding job opportunities, events, and the latest news about issues affecting the veteran community. There are also ways to effectively handle the challenges.  One way is to create, and advertise, computer classes for older veterans. For example, The Department of Aging provides these classes free of charge. It is important for users to educate themselves by ensuring they are receiving information from a reliable source.  As we look to the future, there will continue to be new ways of creating meaningful ways of connecting through social media and MOVA looks forward to sharing them with you.

Please share this post with your local network via Email, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.