The Central Illinois Veterans Appreciation Organization provides support to returning men and women with special campaigns, including but not limited to Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Day , Veterans Day events, school education events, etc. This year, Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Day will be held from March 1 to 5:00 p.m. on March 26 at the Decatur Civic Center, 1 Gary Anderson Plaza in Decatur. There is no admission fee thanks to generous donations from sponsors. The event will feature music from the Vietnam era. Non-alcoholic beverages and food will be served. The keynote speaker for the event will be Shilo Harris, a Gulf War veteran who was injured when a roadside improvised explosive device detonated. The driver was seriously injured and three of his comrades in arms died. Harris was seriously injured with burns to 35% of his body. He underwent 70 surgeries. Harris is a true American icon, having risen from his terrible wounds to bring inspiration, pride and patriotism to all who are lucky enough to hear him speak. Come join other veterans at this great annual recognition event. Visit the “Vietnam Era Veterans Recognition Day” Facebook page for more details.

VA ANNOUNCES NEW IBD WEBSITE

VA has created a website that raises awareness about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This website provides step-by-step instructions for accessing treatment and links to VA resources – connecting with online communities and peer support to improve their quality of life. Recent studies have indicated that veterans’ disability ratings for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder increased in veterans diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. Studies have estimated that there are over 66,000 veterans living with IBD. The VA is acutely aware that veterans who struggle with the frustration and sense of hopelessness from IBD pain and who are also struggling with PTSD or anxiety disorder are a deadly combination for the veteran, their family and the VA. To visit hwww.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/veterans for more information.

COMMON FRAUD ATTEMPTS AGAINST VETERANS

Fraudsters will target people on the verge of losing their homes and offer relief (for a fee) that never comes. Sometimes the veteran will be asked to return the title to their home as a temporary measure to help fight foreclosure. The title then allows the fraudster to sell the house. Here are some of the scams: work-from-home “opportunities” that charge high upfront fees and don’t provide the support promised; odometer fraud when buying a used car; tech support scams involving aggressive messages on personal computers (and sometimes corporate networks) that claim that if you don’t contact Microsoft or another company to have a virus addressed, your computer will be destroyed or your data will be lost . If you suspect fraud, contact the Consumer Protection Branch, US Department of Justice Civil Division at 202-307-0066. To visit www.justice.gov/crt-military/file/797421/download for more information.