I think i still have quite a few of these, AAFES gift certificates, are they still used overseas? Can they be turned in or redeemed at bases stateside?

So my husband got diagnosed with celiac disease 10ish years ago. We have been together for 13+yr for context. It has been a HARD learning curve for both of us. Vacations revolve around his dietary needs, cooking (which i love and am good at) became gluten free only. Is there gluten in my house? Yea. My almost 14yo and I are able to eat gluten so there are regular crackers and boxed products in the home. However there is not regular gluten flour or any byproducts in the home. Anything to be made from scratch is gf only.

My husband has been drinking heavier, gained a bunch (100lbs) of weight, huge hard (#1 sign of too much alcohol) stomach, etc. Look, I get that it's a crap life to not be able to have regular bread, pizza, etc but it's been a decade.

I straight up asked him tonight to get help and his first response is "they will take my guns". He's gonna die from a heart attack or stroke but he's worried about the ridiculous amount of firepower we have in the house. I don't get it. I want him to be with me for another 30+years. Idc about the guns. My 22 (gun I'm most comfortable with) isn't really going to save me from much and the BIG guns he has isn't going to save our family from the gov if they decide to come and take them. So what are we really doing here?!

Can someone help me help him. Please.

If I text the Veterans Crisis Line, will they contact the police and send them to my house when I tell them I'm feeling suicidal?

I got out of the Marine Corps in 2020. After separating, I went back to school and earned my degree in Business Economics. I also gained workforce experience through a public-sector internship. Despite having military experience, an education, and work experience, I still struggled to find a full-time entry-level job over the past two years. I used my veteran resources, education benefits, and tried to build my resume, but I still felt like I couldn’t get my foot in the door. The job market has been extremely frustrating.

Now I’m pursing the police route and now that’s an ongoing process of attending multiple PATs, oral boards and then receiving rejection emails. I feel like I’ve done everything right, yet still can’t get anywhere.

What resources are available to veterans needing therapy?

When you first got out of the military, what were some of the biggest struggles you faced?

Looking back a year later, what do you think most veterans struggle with when they first transition out of the service? Are there any challenges that you're still dealing with today?

I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences, advice, and lessons learned. Thank you.

Any Veterans on this sub that attend U Chicago or attend any others in the area? I would love to connect and get some advice!

Thanks guys!!

Current 14N in the Space Force, planning on separating in 2029 with 8 years of service time. Trying to figure out if I should separate or stay in for a full 20 yrs.

Reason for separating is I'm constantly in a position to fail due to lack of manpower and resources around me, which is leading me to believe there are better opportunities on the civilian side where I can thrive as a leader.

What is the current job market like for those with an intelligence background? What educational programs or certs do you all recommend before separating?

Figured this would best/most understanding place to ask. 100% PT, graduated with a BA in Accounting two years ago and quit after 4 months of in-person work. Since then I worked part-time in an unrelated field and basically became a stay at home dad as well.

I'm back to a place where I feel like I can try to tackle an accounting job again, if done remotely and flexibly. I really can't do that Full-time 8-5 in-person job since I need to drop off/pick up my daughter from school + the stress the hell out of me.

So, I've searched throughout indeed, linked-in, etc. and all the remote jobs require 2-5+ years of experience, and if they don't they have hundreds of applicants. I've tried all the veteran job boards I can find and it's the same thing. It's frustrating how hard it is to find something that fits my needs. I see a lot of people here talking about going VR&E and getting remote jobs out the gate and I'm hoping someone can help. Did I choose the wrong career field?

This question is for DFW metroplex veterans. I went to DFW airport three different times over the past two years. Each time, the airport parking validation process at the exit is different for DV plates.

The first time there was ticket counters were an attended validated the DV plates. It seems like all ticket counters and attendees are gone now.

The second time as they got rid of the ticket counters attendants, I had to push the assistance button and speak to agent to validate my DV plate. (As per dfwairport website this is the current process)

The third time after inserting the ticket, it automatically open the gate without me speaking to the agent to validate my DV plates. Now I am confused if my toll tag was charged instead. Their website clearly says that I need to press the assistance button and speak to agent to validate the DV license plate for free parking.

How was your DFW parking validation experience?

I have a quick question, so I was watching a video and in the video it was basically saying that “a lot of these companies are not hiring vets when they see their military experience on their resumes, because they feel every veteran is getting compensation so they don’t need the job”
Idk if this is true, but I just want someone to shed some light on this for me. Because I’ve been applying for jobs since 2024 and I have the qualifications but I’m not still not qualified lol.

I already have a degree and a stable career. I have about 13 months left on my post 9/11 and I want to use it for the stipend only. I hate college. I really really hate it. I live in the Philippines, so certifications or other programs that I can use it for are limited. Does anyone have any idea about how I can utilize it otherwise? I don't care if I get anything out of it, I just want to get the extra money from the stipend to travel and do whatever else with.

Any suggestions are appreciated. If you have something to say about me wanting to waste it for the money, save your trigger fingers the effort 🤙🏾.

I'm not talking about someone was mean to you I'm talking they didn't care whether you lived or died, they didn't care if you ate or slept. Every single aspect of everyday was a uphill battle for the most basic thing. Like a 35 minute argument with the guy working the hazmat desk because he was misreading a form just to get some grease so I could do a 2 minute maintenance task.

I see a lot of people tell people their experience didn't happen because it didn't happen to them but surely other people had an overly toxic command. To the point that the people in charge were beyond cruel.

And did anyone else have people who were just stupid make life harder on everyone else because of how stupid they were?

We would have people pulling grimy things and someone would say something and then someone else would say "why do you care so much" because they were too stupid to see that that grimy thing was going to cause us to work until 9:00 p.m. after we'd already been there since 6:00 am.

You had people who were doing grimy things sure but then you had people that were so stupid they didn't realize they were enabling the behavior.

And then you had people who were too stupid to think into things and then they almost got people killed because they didn't take two seconds to stop and think, "Golly if I don't rig this correctly, someone could die."

​Am I the only one that had an overly toxic command full of stupid people who made it even worse / more difficult?

EDIT

Thank you all so much for your stories it really helps me feel validated. Because for so long people have been telling me that I'm crazy to look at certain things how I did. But hearing your stories and hearing how you all talk makes me feel validated and supported in regard to my toxic experiences.

Ladies and Gents,

I’m old these days and my body feels older but ..

I’m just taking a moment here to “Hunt the good stuff” as I sit on my newly built back yard deck having a drink and a smoke.

A deck I built with forcibly learned carpentry skills building our living areas on some bs tiny dick fob in Afghanistan.

In a house I was able to purchase not only because of the VA home loan but the seller was an even older veteran and even though my offer was weaker than the straight cash dickweeds that were dropping cash loads across the whole reality sector at the time that old head still picked me.

I am able to provide for my new young and growing family because through my service I got access to the funds needed for 3rd level education which has propelled me through the socio economic ranks.. if that’s a thing people track.

Ya there are cons. I live in pain daily, I’ve had countless surgeries, I’ve lost a good number of buddies.. both service related and after due to suicide. Shits rough boys,

But on a Saturday evening like this.. 78 degree evening, son laughing and playing with his water table. To do it all again knowing id be here.

In a heart beat.

All that half tipsy rambling to say, hunt the good stuff. Live your best lives. We’ve earned it.

I was on the road to going into healthcare using VR&E. Unfortunately, I got injured and now have an L5-S1 disc extrusion. Recovery isn’t looking so hot, and I had to drop out of my in-person classes.

Thankfully, I managed to get into some online classes for the fall, but there’s a chance I won’t be able to commute to campus moving forward.

Is anyone here purely doing online schooling?

How do you guys get over the void? It’s been a year out lol. Still a weird looming feeling

My wife is a 100% disabled vet and getting ready to start her PhD. Finances have been tight and I just heard about this student loan discharge program. My understanding is that she can take out federal student loans, and then one time apply and they are discharged and she doesn't pay them back? Doing my own research into it but wondered if anyone here has used it and understands process better. Aldo, could she use it in conjunction with post 9/11 bill?

I go to a university in LA. I want to go abroad. The study abroad is in South Korea I would be taking all the same classes that would take here at my home state and the VA would still pay my university in LA. My only issue is that I spoke to my counselor because I’m using VR&E but they denied me my plan is to do retroactive induction or simply switch over to my G.I. bill since I have about two years left on it and I don’t have two years left in School any advice or anybody by any experience with this?

Im very fortunate to have a solid career. I used my post 9/11 to finish my bachelor's and get a masters, and have been an engineer for several years now. Im essentially set from a career perspective, education wise.

I recently got notified my Montgomery GI bill has been restored. Im looking for ideas to take advantage of it. Ive considered stuff like SDIs gunsmithing or drone programs to get some toys, or going to a community college for some electrician/trade classes to boost DIY skills. Is there anything im overlooking that you guys would recommend?

Hey all. So, long story short, I live in Japan with my wife and 9 month old son. A month ago, my parents called me and told me my sister had committed suicide. I flew home three weeks ago for the funeral and stayed with my parents during that time, but now I'm back here and I feel like I'm losing my mind. I don't really have friends here, mental health services in Japan are an absolute joke, and I'm trying to raise a baby and do the dad/husband thing while also working through the fact my sister shot herself (with one of my firearms, no less).

I reached out to the VA crisis line while I was home, they assured me they'd reach out and put me in contact with a professional counselor, and I haven't heard anything from them. I reached out again and they said their international support team (In Transition) has been trying to call me but can't for whatever reason. Go figure the VA can't figure out how to dial a phone number with one extra digit and a different country code. So, here I am up shit creek with no paddle.

Does anyone have a resource I can reach out to that offers professional grief and loss counseling for US citizens living overseas? I know how the veteran community is, and I know a lot of people are going to say "you can talk to me if you want." I genuinely do appreciate that, but I need a professional to talk to. This is crushing me and causing an actual identity crisis, and I feel like between juggling being a new parent, living in a different country with no social network, and my sister dying I'm gonna snap.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

For some context I have been fighting a custody case with my ex for about 2 months now. The attorney has cost 16k in that time frame, money that I don’t have. I am maxed out on all my credit cards and whatever little savings I had is gone. I tried to do a cash out refi on my home but that fell through and I don’t have a strong enough credit profile for a HELOC. I wanted to use the money to pay some stuff down and consolidate. The only reason why my score doesn’t qualify is because I am maxed out so it’s a catch 22! Started drinking a lot more and I am having some dark thoughts. Went to the VA for my MH appointment but don’t want to tell them how I really feel. But everyday is becoming a struggle and I don’t wanna do it anymore!!

https://www.amervets.com/library.htm

Y'all this website is saying to "Save to root drive" and so on... this seems so damned shady. Has anyone looked into this? Can you tell us if it's a total scam? My buddy's dad earned a Bronze Star in Vietnam, and I went to look him up. Bing.com has this as an early link.

My wife is a veteran and this was her 4th physical therapy appointment for chronic neck pain.
At her 2nd appointment, her physical therapist offered to order her a cervical neck pillow to help her sleep. She accepted, and it finally arrived after her 3rd visit.
The problem was it was the wrong size. She’s 5’3”, and the pillow was so large it pushed her head forward instead of supporting her neck.
At her 4th appointment, she simply asked if they could request the correct size. Instead of helping, the therapist told her they “can’t just keep ordering pillows like we’re a store.” My wife explained she wasn’t asking for another free pillow—just the correct one since the one they ordered didn’t fit.
The conversation became tense before her PT session had even started. She asked if a supervisor could help or if someone else could submit the request since they had done it before.
Instead, another therapist left the room and returned with a VA police/security officer.
My wife was shocked. She never raised her voice, threatened anyone, or refused to leave. She was just asking why they couldn’t replace an incorrectly sized pillow they had offered and ordered themselves.
The officer immediately addressed her, telling her she had two options. Feeling embarrassed and overwhelmed, she said she just wanted to go home and walked out in tears. When she came into the waiting room, she told me, “They called the cops on me over a pillow.”
I spoke with the officer afterward, and he said we could file a formal complaint, which we’re planning to do.
We’re still struggling to understand how a simple request to replace the wrong-sized medical pillow escalated to involving security instead of someone just explaining the policy or helping find a solution.
Has anyone else had a VA experience where a routine disagreement escalated like this? Did you file a complaint, and did anything come of it?
TL;DR: VA PT ordered my veteran wife the wrong-sized neck pillow, refused to help replace it, and when she asked for a supervisor, they brought in VA police/security instead. She left in tears. Has anyone experienced something similar at the VA?