Bemidji
Hastings
Minneapolis
Montevideo
Preston
Silver Bay
 All three of our Minnesota State Veterans Cemeteries will be holding Memorial Day events, open to the public, on Sunday, May 28 starting at 1:30 p.m.
Information and program schedules specific to each cemetery are available below:
For over 12 years, the award-winning Minnesota Military Radio (MMR) has been the forum for retelling the stories of Minnesota?s heroes. Vietnam Veteran and volunteer host Tom Lyons shares these stories which are carried on 65 broadcasting stations throughout the state of Minnesota in an effort to preserve the stories of our Veterans and keep listeners up to date on things happening at MDVA and in our Veteran Community here in Minnesota.
Coming up this week we discuss Mental Health Awareness Month at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, learn how Beyond the Yellow Ribbon company Minnesota Department of Natural Resources supports the Military Community and get an update from our Senior Enlisted Advisor, Army.
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Social media: the good, the bad
Are you experiencing digital burnout? Facebook and other social media options are good ways Veterans can use to stay in touch with loved ones. But excessive screen time can also have negative impacts. Too much screen time and scrolling through social media may be to blame. An article in time magazine shared this recommendation:
Limit social media to 30-60 minutes per day for better mental health
?For years, research has pointed to social media as the most troublesome type of content. A study published in 2018 in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology looked at how Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat affected the mental health of 143 college students. If these young people showed depressive symptoms at the start of the study, then reduced their social-media use to just 10 minutes per day on each platform?a total of 30 minutes on social media per day?for three weeks, their symptoms of depression and loneliness decreased.?
Picture after picture is posted to social media every single day, but often we don?t know the whole story behind the picture. The fact is we are all dealing with life behind the perfect pictures that we and others post on social media. TRY THIS: Start a new trend by posting a picture of yourself and share more about what was really happening behind that picture. Let?s collectively promote that life is not always as perfect as it seems. #YouMatterMN.
The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veteran Memorial in Washington, D.C. This traveling exhibit allows visitors to view the more than 58,000 names of the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War.
The Wall That Heals will be on display at St. Thomas Academy, and is open to the public at no cost. The Wall will be on display Friday, May 26 starting at 2 p.m. through Monday, May 29 at 2 p.m.
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There will be a graveside service, school program, parade and more in Excelsior, MN in honor of Memorial Day.
In the parade, family and friends of Veterans are invited to honor their Veteran. Carry pictures, posters, banners, mementos from their life, uniforms, and flags.?
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The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
The PACT Act adds to the list of health conditions the VA assumes (or ?presumes?) are caused by exposure to these substances. This law helps provide generations of Veterans?and their survivors?with the care and benefits they?ve earned and deserve.
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The Veterans Crisis Line's new number?988 then Press 1?helps make it easier to remember and share the number to access help in times of need.
Signed into law in 2020, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act authorized 988 as the new three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. As part of the law, all telephone service providers in the U.S. had to activate the number no later than July 16, 2022.
Veterans can use this new option by dialing 988 and pressing 1 to contact the Veterans Crisis Line. Veterans may still reach the Veterans Crisis Line with the previous phone number?1-800-273-8255 and Press 1?by text (838255), and through chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
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Minnesota Veterans who served sometime between September 11, 2001, and August 30, 2021 may be eligible for a Post-9/11 Service Bonus. More than 17,000 Minnesota Veterans who served in the Global War on Terrorism have already received bonuses totaling $18.5 million in recognition of their service.
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is distributing nearly $25 million in bonuses. As of late November, $18.5 million has been awarded. Eligible Veterans are paid on a first-come, first-served basis, so Veterans should apply today before the funds are gone.
To apply, visit MinnesotaVeteran.org/ServiceBonus.
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If you know of a Veteran-related community event happening in your area you would like to submit to be included in our Friday Digest, please email all event information to [email protected] for consideration.
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