40 USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION ILLUSTRATION: GINA TOOLE SAUNDERS; THINKSTOCK SOCIAL SERVICE Veterans use the Internet to stay connected, support causes and even save lives By Matt Alderton him save his life instead of end it. that’s come out of social media,” continued “In 2014, we set up a Facebook page that Anderson, now a student at Portland State YEEE BITCHES.” was like a military reunion page for our University in Oregon. “The guys are happy Those were among the last unit,” said Garrett Anderson, a combat vet- to participate because everyone’s on words spoken by 28-year-old eran who served in both the Marine Corps Facebook all the time anyway.” Daniel Rey Wolfe. Only he didn’t and the National Guard. “The idea was: Indeed, 74 percent of online adults speak them at all. If somebody on Facebook starts looking use social networking sites, according to “BRather, he typed them, posting them on froggy — if they start posting things that the Pew Research Center. That includes Facebook alongside a picture of two half- look like they’re in crisis — whoever sees veterans, who are using social media not empty liquor bottles. More cryptic posts it can post an alert to our private Facebook only to prevent tragedies, but also to seize followed, culminating in graphic photos of group, and we will respond.” opportunities — personally, professionally his blood-soaked arm and leg. About 100 former Marines belong to the and politically. The next day — May 6, 2014 — police 1/3’s “Emergency Contact Network,” which found Wolfe’s body inside an empty house has mobilized on several occasions to help ‘CONNECTEDNESS in Broken Arrow, Okla. group members in crisis since its formation AND CAMARADERIE’ Wolfe, a former Marine who suffered from in November 2014. Once, for example, the Early this year, clinical psychologist post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), had group activated to help a member believed Eric Pedersen decided to conduct an live-blogged his suicide on the world’s most to be homeless. Another time, a group experiment. Startled by a statistic that 50 popular social network. If he’d belonged member drove from Texas to Louisiana to percent of veterans struggle with mental to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, offer in-person support to a suicidal peer. however, social media might have helped “It’s the most productive thing I’ve seen CONTINUED 42 USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION SOCIAL SAVVY Although it’s no war zone, social media is littered with its own kind of land mines. Veterans who wish to make the most of their online experience should consider the following social networking tips: Be discreet. Avoid sharing sensi- tive information about yourself or your service, especially if you participated in classified missions. “Don’t post something on social media that you don’t want the Social media has become a key way for veterans to public to know, even if it’s a private communicate with one another, and for organizations to group,” said RallyPoint CEO Yinon get their messages across. The Department of Veterans Weiss. “That’s rule No. 1.” Affairs has a presence on Twitter, above, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. Civilians can use hashtags to offer support to Avoid conflict. Use social media veterans, as HBO star John Oliver, right, the husband of a to unite, not divide. “There are U.S. Army veteran, did with #GiveThem20 — 20 push-ups some (social and political) issues on video to honor veterans. that are very volatile and polar- izing,” said Marine Corps veteran Johnny “Joey” Jones. “I’d stay away from those things as much as pos- DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS; YOUTUBE sible so as not to alienate someone from hearing my message as a health issues, but only half of them seek In addition to keeping tabs on veterans they campaign asks participants — including veteran, which is about overcoming care, he hypothesized that social media know, however, they also seek support celebrities like Jon Stewart and Jimmy adversity, treating problems as a would be an effective channel for reaching from veterans they don’t, according to Kimmel — to create a video of themselves community and finding a positive veterans in need of mental health services. 35-year-old Air Force veteran Edward dedicating 20 pushups to American outcome when there doesn’t seem To test his theory, he and his colleagues Riefle of Anchorage, Alaska. veterans. Participants are encouraged to to be one around.” developed a series of Facebook ads aimed “I’m in an isolated environment, so there share their video on social media, using the at young adult veterans, who were asked to aren’t always a lot of resources available hashtag #GiveThem20, to challenge others Don’t take things personally. If volunteer for a research study. In just over to me,” said Riefle, who this year started to create their own videos and, finally, to you do engage in political discourse, three weeks, 1,023 veterans volunteered. his own business: PostalZen, which allows volunteer 20 minutes a week giving online make sure you can handle opposing “To get 1,000 participants for a research users to send photos and letters in the career advice to veterans through ACP’s views and criticism. “You’re going study normally takes months, sometimes mail from their computer. “I’ve been able website. to encounter negative feedback, so years,” said Pedersen, a behavioral scientist to reach out to other entrepreneurs across “I challenged all the presidential you have to have rhino skin,” said at RAND Corp., a Santa Monica, Calif.-based geographies on LinkedIn, and they’ve been candidates, all the members of the Joint Marine Corps and National Guard research firm. “What that tells us is that extremely helpful.” Chiefs of Staff and the president himself,” veteran Garrett Anderson. “In our (many) veterans are on social media … Fellow veterans have shared resources, said Longell, 28, of Arlington, Va., whose community, for example, there are and that social media can be a great way to answered questions, related experiences video posted on the Independent Journal’s still people who stigmatize PTSD. connect with veterans.” and even made introductions to business website and on Facebook has garnered So if you’re going to bring up PTSD, Yinon Weiss agrees. That’s why he contacts. “LinkedIn has … provided a nearly 800,000 views. “There’s a huge make sure you’re emotionally co-founded RallyPoint, a social network for conduit to reach out to other vets who have disconnect between the civilian and stable enough to handle some military personnel and veterans, in 2012. made (career transitions) for support,” military worlds. This challenge is a fun nut making a comment that isn’t “People used to have Rolodexes on Riefle said. “It’s nice to have people you can way to bridge that gap to help veterans their desks. That’s how they maintained connect with and learn from because of the feel more integrated into the country they respectful.” relationships. Now relationships are main- military bond you share.” served.” Sign off sometimes. Don’t use tained on social media,” explained Weiss, It’s also a way to communicate with social media as a substitute for who said participating in social networks TWEETING FOR CHANGE policymakers. can be especially poignant for veterans. Many veterans are leveraging social “With social media, veterans can pull out face-to-face interaction. “Make “There is an incredibly strong bond that media to support causes they care about. their phone and make complaints in front an effort to see your buddies is formed in the military, and that kinship This summer, for instance, Army veteran of a substantial audience,” said Marine you served with in person,” said — that sense of belonging — is lost when Chad Longell participated in #GiveThem20, Corps veteran Paul Szoldra, founder of Duf- Army veteran Brandon Friedman. someone leaves the military. Social media a social media campaign sponsored by fel Blog, a satirical news site that parodies “Veterans should hang out with is a way to continue having that sense of American Corporate Partners (ACP), a the U.S. military. “In the case of Duffel Blog, each other sometimes. It’s very connectedness and camaraderie.” non-profit organization that facilitates we criticize policies through satire that’s important to do.” Like civilians, veterans use social media mentoring of transitioning veterans by seen by millions of people — including, in — Matt Alderton to stay in touch with friends, particularly civilian business leaders. those they served alongside in the military. Like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the CONTINUED 44 USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION #BEST10 10 organizations and hashtags to follow on social media #Veterans, #vets: These hashtags make it easy to find people and posts of interest to veterans. Department of Veterans Affairs: The VA shares official information about veteran services and benefits. (Facebook: VeteransAf- fairs; Twitter: @DeptVetAffairs) The Boot Campaign uses photos of celebrities wearing combat boots — #VetQ: This VA-sponsored hashtag including Dwayne Johnson and Dolly Parton — to raise awareness of veterans’ contains answers to veterans’ most needs as well as money. The photos are shared on social media. common questions. Duffel Blog: This satirical news site PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOOT CAMPAIGN is The Onion for military personnel and veterans. (Facebook: duffelblog; Twitter: @DuffelBlog) some instances, the Pentagon.” audience in the manner McPherson Square Combat-wounded Marine Corps veteran they want to receive it,” “That sense of Group, a public relations Veterans of Foreign Wars USA: Johnny “Joey” Jones likewise believes in Moloney said. firm that he co-founded The VFW is a trusted source social media’s ability to catalyze change.