Mental health is an important topic, especially for Veterans. Sleep problems, PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression are four of the top five injuries and health problems reported among the Veteran population. This is such a prevalent topic that the VA even offers Mental Health Services for qualified Veterans that includes everything from professional counseling to working with a peer mentor.

In addition to these amazing resources that are offered for the Veteran community, there are also small steps you can take on your own to help improve your mental health on a daily basis. Here are our top three ways to improve mental health for Veterans.

#1: Take care of your physical health

Exercise has been proven to help improve your mood and reduce signs of depression.

While you’re in the military, you’re required to maintain yourself at a certain fitness level. There were tests and workouts that you were expected to be able to complete. After you leave the military you don’t have to let your physical health decline just because you are no longer required to pass physical fitness tests.

If you sustained a service-related injury, you might not be able to work out in the same ways that you did before, but there are modifications and equipment available that can still allow you to work up a sweat.

Take a little time each day, even if it’s just five or ten minutes, to workout and get your body moving any way that you can. You’ll be amazed how much better you feel after a little workout.

#2: Meditation and Relaxation

Taking just a few minutes to relax your body and your mind can make a big impact on mental health.

There are tons of apps or even videos online that will help guide you through a meditation or relaxation exercise. This process is great for helping you reduce your blood pressure, slow your breathing, and relax muscle tension. If you have trouble sleeping due this is a great way to relax as you get ready for bed.

The great thing is meditation can be done in any position, so you don’t need to be able to sit on the floor to experience the benefits.

#3: Connect with others

You aren’t alone in your experiences and you aren’t the only one feeling lost or unsure.

Talking about your feelings or your anxiety is one of the best ways to help relieve some of the pressure that it might cause you to feel. You don’t always have to talk to a professional, you can talk to a friend or a fellow Veteran. Talk to someone who has gone through the same experiences as you and will understand how they can have a lasting impact on your mental health.

You can also use social media to help you connect with other Veterans through Facebook groups or other social platforms. This allows you to surround yourself with others who will have a first hand understanding of what you might be going through.

These might seem like simple steps, but don’t underestimate the positive effect that they can have on your health. It doesn’t matter if you use just one or all of these tips, what matters is that you find a way that works for you to improve or maintain your mental health. Some days are better than others, and on the hard days it’s important for Veterans to know that they have options.

Contact Us

Have a question about your Veteran benefits? You can email us today! If you are within one-year pre to post-military separation, you can enroll in our FREE program by setting up a call with one of our transition coaches.

While serving in the military, you are trained and prepared to perform several different jobs and tasks. Now that you are getting ready to transition out of the military into the civilian world, the question is “How do I apply this training” and “What are the best jobs for Veterans post-transition?”

There are thousands of jobs available that Veterans are qualified for, but what job is right for you?

Many veterans feel like they get pigeonholed into law enforcement or security-type jobs based on their military experience. Still, if a career in law enforcement isn’t for you, then there are tons of other jobs that are a perfect fit for Veteran candidates.

Careers To Consider

Here are a few of those careers and some things that you should consider about each one.

One of the first things you need to consider is Do you have a degree? If you don’t, that’s ok! There are still plenty of jobs that you can excel at.

One career that you might consider without a degree is a truck driver that gives you the ability to travel the United States and make your schedule. Driving a truck also plays into your military training of working long hours and unusual times.

If you have a degree, the jobs for Veterans are even more plentiful.

One job you might consider is IT Manager. If you spent time in the military working with computers or software, then this might be a great career for you to explore. The IT field is growing at an astounding rate, so the need for new IT management is immense.

You could also consider a career in management. Project management or supply chain management are both fantastic jobs for Veterans post-transition.

High-Paying Jobs

If you are specifically looking for high-paying jobs then you might train to become a mechanic or go into construction. Both of these careers pay very well, but they require a certain skill set, which you probably learned while serving in the military.

If you are looking for jobs that cater to Veterans’ skills then you might want to consider a career as an EMT or a Firefighter. Both of these careers will play off of the skills that you learned while you were serving in the military.

Government jobs are also great for Veterans to pursue as they transition out of the military. Not only has the military prepared you for most all government jobs, but these jobs have great benefits, so why wouldn’t you want to look into one of these?!

These are just a few of the jobs that are available for Veterans who are preparing for employment post transition.

Think Bigger

The opportunities are limitless if you are willing to put yourself out there and showcase the skills that the military taught you.

Don’t let yourself be pigeonholed into a career just because you feel like that is what you should do as you transition into civilian life.

There are tons of careers and job opportunities available, you just have to look for them and decide which ones you think are the best jobs for Veterans post transition.

Contact Us

Have a question about your Veteran benefits? You can email us today! If you are within one-year pre to post-military separation, you can enroll in our FREE program by setting up a call with one of our transition coaches.

You can find career advice all over the internet on different ways to make yourself stand out, but look no further; we have your Top 5 Job Hunting Tips for Veterans right here.

Tip #1: Polish Your Resume

The first thing you’re going to want to do is to get your resume civilian-ready. Ensure it’s up-to-date and includes all the relevant details from your military career, but you’ll need to put this in terms that civilian employers will understand. Many of the skills you developed during your service apply to civilian jobs, but you’ll have to help your potential employers understand this through your resume.

If you find yourself at a loss for skills to include, check out our guide “5 Skills You Didn’t Realize the Military Gave You” for some advice.

Tip #2: Practice, Practice, Practice

If you’ve been in the military for a while, likely, you haven’t had a job interview in quite some time, and the interview process can be nerve-wracking for even the bravest soldier. That’s why it will be vital for you to practice your interview skills, even before you land that first interview. There are hundreds of practice questions on the internet and even more videos on YouTube that you can watch to help you prepare.

However, you choose to get ready and tailor your answers in a way that your civilian interviewer can understand. Like in the military, practice makes perfect and will help better prepare you when the time finally comes to sit down for an interview.

Tip #3: Network

Don’t underestimate the power of networking.

Sometimes in the civilian world, it’s not about what you know; it’s about who you know. Even before you transition from the military, reach out to friends and family to let them know that you’re going to be looking for a job soon. Like LinkedIn, you can also use social platforms to connect with people who might know of an employer explicitly looking to hire Veterans or someone with your experience. The more people you have in your network who are helping you look for a job, the wider of a net you can cast. Your network can also attest to your skills and your character to help you stand out even more.

Tip #4: Keep Your Options Open

When you start your job search, you might have a particular career field in mind, but keep your options open to new opportunities.

Veterans sometimes get pigeon-holed into careers like security or government, but if that isn’t what you want to do, don’t do it just because you think it will be easier to find a job. Keep your options open. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of different career opportunities for Veterans, so don’t settle for one just because it’s the first job to come along. If you are in a good place financially and don’t need a job on day one of getting out, then take your time, do some research, and wait for that right job to come to you. You never know what kind of opportunities might present themselves if you are patient.

Tip #5: Don’t Give Up

Job searching can be a time-consuming process. It could take weeks or even months before you get your first interview. Don’t let this frustrate you and make you stop your search or settle for a career that you don’t really want. Keep working on your resume and reaching out to your network. Eventually the right job will come your way. The military taught you perseverance, so use that and don’t give up.

Remember – start the job search early and be prepared to wait. In the meantime, if you need some more career tips or advice, you can always reach out to us.

Contact Us

Have a question about your Veteran benefits? You can email us today! If you are within one-year pre to post-military separation, you can enroll in our FREE program by setting up a call with one of our transition coaches.

First Time Home Buying for Veterans

Buying your first home can include a mixture of both excitement and nervousness. You’re excited to have your place finally but nervous about all the steps and red tape that can come with the process. But, it doesn’t have to be that nerve-wracking, especially if you are a Veteran!

The VA has laid the process out in straightforward, easy-to-follow steps.

Step 1: Get a VA-backed Purchase Loan

You’ll have to go through a government-approved lender, like a bank or mortgage company, to get this loan. The VA will guarantee part of the loan against loss, which allows your lender to give you better loan terms, like the option to pay no down payment or better interest rates.

You can use your VA-backed Purchase Loan to:

• Buy a single-family home, or multi-family up to 4 units
• Buy a condo in a VA-approved project
• Buy a home and make cosmetic improvements
• Buy a manufactured home
• Build a new home
• Refinance an existing home

Step 2: Find an agent and start shopping

Once you have a lender, it’s time to find a real estate agent and start shopping for your dream home. You’ll want to meet with a few different agents and find the right one for you. You can also ask your family and friends for recommendations so you know you and your agent are a good fit.

Once you’ve found an agent, it’s time to start shopping! You should know what your price range is and share that information with your agent so you can ensure the homes they are showing you aren’t out of your budget. You’ll also want to share the most important factors, like school zones, commute, features, etc.

Step 3: Making an offer

When you find the home you want to buy, you’ll start working with your real estate agent to put together a purchase agreement. Be sure the sales contract includes a “VA escape clause” or “VA option clause,” which gives you an option to void the contract if the property doesn’t appraise for the contract price.

Depending on the type of market, a “VA escape clause” may hurt your offer compared to the competition. If you are in a hot seller’s market, you may want to consider adding an appraisal clause with your offer. If the property doesn’t appraise, you agree to offer a specific amount above appraised value towards the purchase price.

Step 4: Get an inspection and appraisal

You should get an inspection to ensure that the home doesn’t have any significant damage or defects. Once your property passes inspection, your VA-approved lender will order the home’s appraisal to ensure it meets basic property condition requirements. They will also provide an opinion of value on the house, which the bank will use to determine how much they will fund your purchase.

So what do you do if the property doesn’t appraise at a value that’s high enough to get the loan? You can:

• Request a Reconsideration of Value (ROV). To do this, you will ask your real estate agent to provide the lender with valid sales data showing the property is worth more than its appraised price. The lender will ask the appraiser to reconsider based on this information.
• Renegotiate the sales price. Ask the seller to lower the cost to match the appraised value or somewhere in between.
• Pay the difference between the appraised price and the sales price. To do this, you’ll need to pay this cost at closing.

Step 5: Close on your home and move in!

Assuming everything goes as planned and your offer is accepted, then it’s time to close on your first home! Your lender and your real estate agent will walk you through the closing process, but go into it prepared to sign many documents.

Once you’ve finished signing off on everything, the home is yours, and it’s time to start moving in!

The process of becoming a first-time home buyer can seem a little daunting at first, but if you follow these steps then you’re well on your way to owning your first home. The VA also has tons of resources to help you through the process.

Contact Us

Have a question about your Veteran benefits? You can email us today! If you are within one-year pre to post-military separation, you can enroll in our FREE program by setting up a call with one of our transition coaches.

What are the benefits of a VA Home Loan?

VA Home Loans are a Veteran benefit that every Veteran should know about and how to use. You can easily qualify for a VA Home Loan by getting a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA.gov website and finding a VA-approved lender. In most cases, your lender will even help you acquire your Certificate of Eligibility at the same time you get pre-approved for a loan.

But, you might be wondering, “What are the benefits of a VA Home Loan?”

Well, there are quite a few benefits to this type of loan.

Benefits of VA Home Loans

The number 1 benefit to VA Home Loans, which makes them most appealing, is having a 0% down payment. With no down payment, this means that if you choose to use a VA Home Loan to purchase your new residence, you will not be required to put any money down on the home upfront. The VA Home Loan is an excellent benefit for planning a military to civilian transition and doesn’t have the funds saved up to put a sizeable down payment for a house.

Traditionally when buying a home, the bank requires that you pay 20% of the purchase price as a downpayment. If you cannot do that, they will charge you an extra monthly fee called Private Mortgage Insurance, which ensures a large percentage of the bank’s money if you default on your loan. These additional payments can make an affordable mortgage payment very costly and often do not make sense for the purchaser.

So in most cases, using a VA Loan saves you from paying additional fees on top of your monthly mortgage payment!

Another benefit of the VA Home Loan is your ability to negotiate closing costs and include some of them into the total sum of the loan. While this benefit saves you money upfront, it does mean that your mortgage payments will increase slightly. Ensure that you verify with your lender what that new payment will be and that it makes sense for your budget.

Associated Costs

One of the closing costs to be aware of is the VA Funding Fee, a one-time fee the VA charges you to insure the lender 25% of the loan amount if you default. Having a VA disability rating of 10% or more means you can waive this fee entirely. For help with disability benefits and more, take our VA Benefits Survey and connect with our team.

Most Veterans who use VA Home Loans also typically see lower interest rates than standard home loans, which means that you will pay less interest over the life of your loan.

Other Benefits

VA Home Loans also offer foreclosure avoidance so if you aren’t able to make the payments on your loan, you will be able to work with your lender to work out a payment plan so that you can avoid having to foreclose on your home.

Another incredible benefit is the Veteran’s ability to buy a multi-family home of 2-4 units, allowing you to live in one unit. In contrast, the other units pay off your mortgage. The savvy Veteran can leverage this benefit to supplement a military retirement. For more information on how you can do this, listen to our discussion on leveraging your VA Loan.

Limitations

Despite all of these great benefits, there are a few limitations to the VA Home Loan you should be aware of.

Before you apply for the loan, starters must plan to occupy the residence, which means you must intend to live in the house you are purchasing.

While the requirements for the loan are somewhat flexible, the lender you must qualify through might be a little more stringent. You might have to meet financial conditions, which could include two years of financial proof, credit score requirements, debt to income ratio, and more.

And it would help if you kept in mind that you are only eligible for a 0% down payment on the total amount approved for your purchase. For example, if you are looking in an area with high housing costs, your approved amount might not cover the full cost of the home. In this instance, you would pay 25% of the difference in a down payment.

You may use the VA Loan benefit more than once. However, you are limited to having two active VA Loans out at the same time. Before you use it for a third property, you must either sell the property or refinance the loan on one of the previous two.

Despite these few limitations, the VA Home Loan is the number one benefit for any Veteran looking to purchase a new home.

Contact Us

Have a question about your Veteran benefits? You can email us today! If you are within one-year pre to post-military separation, you can enroll in our FREE program by setting up a call with one of our transition coaches.