Addiction

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking-related diseases have killed 10 times more Americans than the combined toll in all the wars the country has fought.

And yet smoking continues to be an important part of the military culture. According to the CDC, smoking is more common among military personnel than civilians.

Cigarettes are often handed out as awards. They are discounted at military stores. Seeing their superiors smoke is perceived as validation by many young recruits who then pick up the habit. Smoking cigarettes also provide an enjoyable way to while away the time between duty hours.

Despite knowing about the health risks smoking poses, military personnel continues to smoke, hoping that they will shrug off the habit when they return to civilian life. But nicotine is a highly addictive substance. Quitting smoking is hard unless you have support.

Addiction is sometimes hard to recognize. If you need help determining whether you or a loved one has an addiction or a dependency, you're not alone. Thankfully, there are ways to recognize drug and alcohol abuse, even in the most elusive users.

Additional resources can be found here at AddictionGroup.org.

EBenefits

Check on your status and/or receive information on your monthly rate: call 1-888-442-4551 or log on

EDD California

Gonzalo Alvarez
Outreach Specialist
1901 Zanker Road
San Jose, CA 95112
Direct: 408-216-6042
Fax: 408-436-5714
[email protected]

Gonzalo Alvarez, a U.S Army Veteran, is our Outreach Specialist for the California's Employment Development Department. The EDD Veterans’ representatives specialize in assisting veterans in their efforts to return to work and are located in many local EDD offices.

Services provided include a veteran 24-hour priority hold on all job listings, customized job search assistance, job fairs, employer recruitments, and other events and resources. Gonzalo provides outreach services for Mission College's Veterans every Thursday from 1000-1200.

GI Bill

The Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) determines eligibility for regarding Veterans’ educational benefits .

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

County Veteran Services

Office of Veteran's Services-County of Santa Clara
Clint Taxdahl - Case Manager-Vet Center Santa Clara
68 North Winchester Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Office: 408-918-4980
[email protected]

Clint Taxdahl is a case manager for Santa Clara's Veteran's Services and a Veteran of the U.S Air Force. His office specializes in assisting Veterans navigate the VA benefit system.

When you need guidance on how to start a new claim or if you need to appeal a decision, Clint is the person to come to. We are fortunate enough to have Clint come to the VALOR Center once a month to aid our Veteran population.

The day and time of his outreach sessions changes every single semester, so please check for dates here or at the front desk.

Service Record

Request your military service record online, my mail or by fax at archives.gov.

Mobile Vet Center

Miki Kwan RNP
Nurse Practitioner at Veterans Administration Palo Alto Health Care System

Miki Kwan is our unofficial liaison for our region's VA Health Care System. Her team comes once a month to serve our Veteran community. From their Mobile lab, they can provide a wide array of non-intensive care services.

They can also process new Veterans and get them enrolled into the VA Health systems.  Please check here or at our front desk for time and date; will change every semester.