VETERANS

Five Star Veterans Center is a transitional home for veterans in crisis. We have 40 private bedrooms with private or semi-private bathrooms for veterans dealing with the hidden scars of battle such as PTSD, TBI, and other mental and emotional challenges.

Save the date! Veterans with questions about benefits, claims, PACT Act, and more, can get the answers next week in person.

Operation 22 is a dedicated NON-profit organization that tirelessly works towards a paramount mission - to foster hope, healing, and support for military veterans.

U.S. Marine veteran Paul Lore, 60 of Fernandina Beach, and Mat Steinlin, 44 of St. Augustine, have teamed up again. This time for a 2,800-mile trek across the Pacific Ocean to Kauai to raise awareness and funds for K9s For Warriors and the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

RecruitMilitary is holding the hiring event at TIAA Bank Field’s East Club Thursday to help veterans transition out of the military and into the workforce.

A simple solution that could solve some big problems for veterans.

Two former Iraq and Afghanistan War-era defense secretaries are recommending that the government consider new ways to ensure that military service is taken into account when courts prosecute former service members.

An American Legion post on the Northside is helping its veteran and non-veteran community members gain access to health care and knowledge about their health.

Local veteran, Csanine Gross, is the owner of a new Dodge minivan, thanks to the Northeast Florida Women’s Veterans, Jacksonville Military Affairs and 1A Auto.

Enrollment will open Jan. 1, 2023, and veterans will be able to complete their application online and receive instant decisions.

A local charity helping veterans transition back into society got a big boost from The Players Championship golf tournament. Five Star Veterans Center on Friday received a grant.

A national group conducted a survey in Northeast Florida to let city leaders know what next steps need to be taken to help veterans.

Military veterans battling cancer because they were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances, will have their benefits claims expedited to ensure they get “timely access to care and benefits.”

A well-known resource for traveling military members and their families has closed at Jacksonville International Airport — abruptly.

Memory loss and headaches still plague Army veteran Michael Gatter 18 years after three traumatic brain injuries during deployment in Iraq.

Agencies and nonprofits providing resources to veterans to prevent suicide say a lower suicide rate is an encouraging trend but believe there is still more work to be done.

Several local veterans have reached out to News4JAX about delays in receiving their benefits upon retirement… leaving them in limbo. They say the issue lies with a backlog of paperwork.

The University of North Florida and a national service organization are collaborating with the city to help conduct a survey to learn what service gaps need to be filled.

The city of Jacksonville and a national service organization want to hear from local veterans.

Veterans in Northeast Florida are breathing a sigh of relief after the U.S. Senate voted 86-11 to pass a bipartisan bill to expand health care benefits for nearly 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their military service.

Some shelters in Jacksonville are booked. People staying in those shelters say it’s because of rent inflation -- and having nowhere else to turn.

People across Northeast Florida are getting ready to shoot off fireworks in celebration of the Fourth of July. For military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, they can be triggering.

PTSD is prevalent in the Jacksonville area as a heavily military based town. A local branch to a national mental health outreach center for PTSD survivors is available in Jacksonville.

First Lady Casey DeSantis on Wednesday morning announced a new state initiative to recruit military veterans to work for the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Local artists are helping veterans who are dealing with PTSD.

The Department of Veteran Affairs is looking to open dozens of new facilities across the country, including here in Northeast Florida.

Tuesday was Military Appreciation Day at The Players Championship.

The featured nonprofit for this year’s Military Appreciation Day at The Players Championship is Northeast Florida Women Veterans.

Veterans from Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach raised more than $850,000 in their 51-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Helping around 200 to 250 veterans, the city kicked off a two-day event Friday at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds aimed at helping homeless veterans get back on their feet.

Determined to end veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors provides highly trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD and conditions like traumatic brain injury.

Four Fernandina Beach veterans are rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic to fight PTSD and veteran suicide.

The Jaguars played the Atlanta Falcons during a Salute to Service home game on Sunday.

The one-bedroom apartments will measure 630 square feet and each veteran will pay about 30% of market rate with the balance subsidized through SJHP fundraising efforts.

Each year, our nation commemorates Veterans Day on Nov. 11, to pay tribute to all American veterans -- living or dead -- but especially to those who served our country honorably during war or peacetime.

The statistics are grim. Seventeen veterans take their own life every day in our country. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, white men are at the highest risk of suicide followed by Hispanic veterans.

The free services are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday all November at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center (4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine).

The First Coast Honor Flight sent its first plane of veterans to Washington, D.C. on Saturday morning.

Gov. Ron DeSantis had somewhat of a homecoming Friday as he brought his family to St. Johns County to sign three new Florida bills into law, each designed to support to military members, their families and those who recently served who are trying to re-enter the civilian workforce.

As Americans in Jacksonville and throughout the country spend Memorial Day reflecting on and honoring the men and women who died in service, it’s also important to remember the service members who have returned home with the invisible scars of war.

U.S. veterans and up to three guests can enjoy a day at Busch Gardens for free as a salute to their service.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On National Vietnam War Veterans Day, Americans come together to commemorate the service and sacrifices made by the nearly 3 million service members who served in Vietnam. The war wall in Jacksonville’s LaVilla neighborhood pays tribute to African American service members, including those who fought in Vietnam. Racism was still existing in boot camp and even in Vietnam,” Vietnam veteran Hallie Williams-Bey. He said he believes we need to use Vietnam War Veterans Day as more than a salute to the sacrifices made. In 2012, President Barack Obama signed a presidential proclamation, designating March 29 as the annual observance of Vietnam War Veterans Day.

A retired Army veteran from St. Augustine will ride across the country to raise awareness for veterans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I embrace that.”Parramore will bike from San Diego, California, back home to St. Augustine. News4Jax met Parramore last year when he rode roughly 500 miles to Key West to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. “The farthest continuous days I’ve done is nine days from here down to Key West.”This year, his ride will be roughly 3,200 miles to raise awareness for veterans affected by the pandemic. To donate or watch his livestream, visit his Wounded Warrior Project donation page.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eighty-six veterans in 30 months and just one has returned to jail -- that’s an impressive success rate for Jacksonville’s Veterans Treatment Court. They can enroll in the Veterans Treatment Court, which is a court-supervised, comprehensive treatment program. “It is a very intense program,” explained Judge Mose Floyd, who presides over the court. There is also a community service project at the end as an attempt to give back to the community." Prosecutors, defense attorneys and Duval County judges help identify veterans who have been arrested who may qualify for the program.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – To honor Veterans Day and thank local veterans for their service, Academy Sports and Outdoors partnered with Bama-Q to provide the Northeast Florida Chapter of Heroes on the Water a free lunch and tailgate after a morning kayak fishing trip. Bama-Q pitmasters prepared a three course Florida-inspired seafood meal and Captain Rick Murphy of the Florida Insider Fishing Report surprised the veterans with a video message thanking them for their service. The event took place Saturday afternoon at Brown’s Creek Fish Camp. Academy also donated kayaks and other fishing equipment to the organization.

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Jacksonville Beach on Friday honored those who keep our country safe. Veterans, family and friends gathered to honor Purple Heart recipients and named Jacksonville Beach a “Purple Heart City.”Craig Dunning, a Vietnam War veteran, was one of the men recognized. He was one of the many Purple Heart recipients honored at the event. The city also moved the Veterans Memorial to Oceanfront Park on 1st Street and 6th Avenue where they unveiled the Purple Heart City sign. Going forward, Nov. 6 will be known as Purple Heart Day in the city of Jacksonville Beach.

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. Flagler Countys Veterans Services Office is asking for nominations for its Veteran of the Year Award, which will be presented on Veterans Day. Our veterans have done and continue to do so much for Flagler County, said David Lydon, Flagler County Veterans Services Officer. The Flagler County Veterans Advisory Council commissions a panel of veterans and community leaders to review and select the Veteran of the Year from the eligible candidates. A one-page typewritten nomination statement, maximum 250 words, that describes why the individual being nominated should be selected as the Flagler County Veteran of the Year should be provided along with the resume. The hard part will be selecting just one recipient.Mail nominations to: Flagler County Veterans Service Office, Attn: Veteran of the Year, 1769 E. Moody Blvd.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A new group, Veterans for Black Lives Matter, organized in Jacksonville on the historic day Juneteenth. The group did this in honor of two Black veterans killed by a mob more than 100 years ago in Jacksonville. “I urge all veterans to support the Black Lives Matter issue here in Jacksonville,” said another speaker. “We will have justice and we will take it by any means necessary because Black Lives Matter. Black lives have always mattered, but now we’re here to tell you that we’re speaking up, we’re speaking out that Black Lives Matter,” said McCollough.

And Monday marks Memorial Day, the federal holiday in the U.S. for honoring and mourning the military personnel who’ve died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It’s a great way to show your followers that this day means more to you than just a barbecue or the day off work. Another neat way to honor the ultimate sacrifice is to create an online memorial for a loved one with the Veterans Legacy Memorial Website. If you really want to show your support, hang up an American flag outside your home or perhaps honor the day with a sign or sidewalk chalk in your front yard. That’s likely the easiest way to honor the day while still socially distancing and following CDC guidelines.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mayor Lenny Curry made a pitch Wednesday to state lawmakers to bring more money into Jacksonville in order to keep pedestrians safe, help fight violence and work to prevent veterans from committing suicide. Curry asked for an additional $2 million to fund three programs that he believes are important to Jacksonville: pedestrian crossing installation, Cure Violence and “The Fire Watch." We’re seeking funding for pedestrian safety, funding for Cure Violence, which helps intervene in stopping violent crime, and money to help us in preventing veteran suicide,” Curry said. The mayor also wants an additional $750,000 from the state to fund an expansion of the Cure Violence program that began in June. The city will also plug in an additional $2.4 million to add an additional Cure Violence site between Edgewood Avenue and Interstate 295.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Veterans living Northwest Jacksonville have limited access to health care facilities, according to a local health organization, but a new facility in the neighborhood is helping to change that. On Wednesday, Veterans Healthcare officially opened a new facility on North Myrtle Avenue at West 20th Street. “With this location, we can service the people in this area who otherwise wouldn’t have access to health care," said Ivorique Turner, DO, CEO and medical director of Veterans Healthcare. The facility offers primary and walk-in care, veteran disability exams, medication review and mental health services. “Having mental health services at this facility allows us to be able to serve the veterans in that way," said Turner, who is a Navy veteran.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The owner of a local tree removal service has launched a new program in hopes of not only honoring veterans but also helping them protect their homes from falling trees. The program, known as Tree Work For Heroes, is the brainchild of Canary Tree Service founder Justin Hartmann, who said it’s been in the works for some time but is only now becoming a reality. The service is free to veterans who are unable to pay for the service, which can cost hundreds of dollars for paying customers. To contact Canary Tree Service, visit canarytreeservice.com or call 904-753-8785. According to the Wilmington Star News, Canary Tree Service was accused of price gouging in the wake of Hurricane Florence.

But new data released by the Federal Trade Commission show veterans on average lose almost $1,000 to scams. Now, he’s investing his time and energy in coaching fellow veterans and active duty military through the obstacles that life throws at them. “Catfishing is a huge problem in the military now.”“These individuals are preying on ignorance and they’re preying on individuals emotionally to extort them for money,” he added. But Florida’s leaders are pushing legislation that would crack down on scams and fraud targeting veterans and military. Redman believes that number could grow if both active duty military members and veterans are not informed about the existence of these scams.