Technology giant Google has launched a new website called "Serving Veterans" which they say will help veterans and their families find local resources to help with reintegration challenges, recovery from addiction, PTSD help, employment and more.
The site, rolled out Oct. 13, also offers resources to help friends and family members better understand the veteran mindset with information like "Why you shouldn't say 'Thank you for your service;’” “Don’t ask a returning veteran how many people he killed;” and videos explaining military lingo and military culture.
Created by the veteran community within Google, the website offers dozens of links to local and national resources to assist veterans and their families find everything from 12-step addiction recovery programs to homeless support.
While the site is designed mainly to offer access to mental health and substance abuse resources, it also offers a good starting point that many family members, coworkers or acquaintances may find useful when interacting with a veteran who has recently returned to civilian life. The site also gives veterans and others links to reputable charities and community groups that offer support to both veterans and families.
Google officials said the hub will "provide up-to-date, authoritative information about the mental health issues uniquely experienced by our veterans -- which we hope will lessen the stigma and isolation associated with so many of these diagnoses."
The site is optimized for simplicity, aiming to get folks to resources with as few clicks as possible. It also includes personal story videos from a broad and diverse range of veterans, including Google users and several well-known military leaders like retired Gen. Peter Chiarelli and retired Adm. William McRaven, discussing that help is available and recovery and support is possible.
The site also links to Google's employment website grow.google, which contains tools and resources designed to help transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses prepare for and build meaningful careers.
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