Month: November 2020

How Pets Can Help Veterans

Honor Your Military Loved Ones Year-Round with R&R Gift Sets, Too

Coming home after serving in the American armed forces is difficult. Just as your hero adjusted to life in the military, they have to re-adjust to living in the civilian world; this adjustment is sometimes much harder than the transition to military life because now, they have scars – physical and otherwise – from the battles they fought. 

At My Hero Crate, we know you want what is best for your hero when they return home. That’s why we do what we do: build and ship care packages for military members stationed all over the world, and donate some of our proceeds to a veteran non-profit organization. One thing that you can do, that perhaps you haven’t thought of, to aid in your hero’s transition, is to help them choose a pet that may provide them comfort and support.

An emotional support animal provides comfort to help relieve a symptom of a person’s disability, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. An emotional support animal is technically not a pet – but it isn’t a service animal either. 

How Can an Animal Help?

Caring for and living with a pet, such as a cat or dog, can help improve your hero’s life. Benefits include:

-Increasing well-being and improving mental health

-Encouraging physical fitness (especially if the pet is a dog that requires lots of exercise!)

-Strengthen social connections and improve relationships with others

-Help overcome trauma

-Prevent loneliness

-Raise self-esteem and confidence

-Give life purpose

If you’re unsure of whether an emotional support animal is right for your hero – or if perhaps a service dog would be better – it’s a good idea to talk to your loved one’s mental health team, who can provide their professional recommendations, give you documentation you need to house an emotional support or service animal in a rental home, and refer you to organizations that specialize in matching pets to veterans.

Consider a Shelter Animal

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 6.5 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters every year. An article in USA Today estimates that at least 20 percent of American soldiers return from abroad suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder. If a pet is right for each of these veterans, they can experience the feeling of saving an animal’s life and giving it a second chance.

Shelter animals are an especially good idea because it prevents 1.5 million of them annually from being euthanized. And, many shelter animals are well-suited to being obedient and loving pets. If you’re unsure of which pet to adopt, shelter workers can help you find one to best suit your lifestyle and needs. It may take patience to find the perfect pet, but it will be well worth it in the end.

Encourage Relaxation

If now isn’t the right time for a pet or support animal, help your veteran find time to relax and destress with our relaxation-inspiring gift sets, like our Men’s R&R Gift Box or our Women’s Relaxation Gift Box. Each military care package is full of items that encourage taking time for oneself.

Or, you can shop our full selection of military snack boxes with sweet and savory snacks from American suppliers, even if your soldier is still stationed overseas, nearing their discharge or retirement date. Shipping to APO, DPO, and FPO mailboxes is always free.

A Veterans Day Salute!

Thank Someone Who’s Served with a Care Package from My Hero Crate

On Veterans Day, you probably celebrate by enjoying a day off and casually thanking veterans you know for their service in whichever branch of the military they were in.

Once you live the American military life, though, you come to learn more about Veteran’s Day and appreciate it for how important it is. Here’s a quick history of the holiday, and how you can observe it.

The Date Is a Throwback to World War I

World War I ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 18, 1919. However, the fighting had already ended seven months prior with an Armistice between the Allies and Germany was called on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is known as the end of “the war to end all wars.” 

In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. He said, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in this country’s service with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.” The original concept was a day to observe the Armistice and celebrate with parades, public meetings, and suspension of business. 

Over the years, lawmakers passed resolutions to honor November 11, but it wasn’t until President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation on October 8, 1954, that the day was officially cemented and special committees were formed and named to oversee the holiday. The very first Veterans Day was officially observed on October 25, 1971. 

How to Celebrate Veterans Day

There are some easy ways to participate in acknowledging Veterans Day. Unfortunately, some of these ideas are not necessarily appropriate in our current pandemic. You can, however, hold onto these ideas so you are prepared to observe Veterans Day in the years to come.

-Attend a Veterans Day event in your area, such as a parade or special service.

-Donate to a non-profit organization that benefits your local veterans.

-Fly an American flag correctly, following U.S. Flag Code.

-Write a letter to troops stationed overseas, or a letter thanking veterans you personally know.

-Visit a VA hospital, where you can volunteer.

-Spend time with a veteran on this day, or any day of the year.

-Send a military care package to someone currently serving, or to someone who has retired from service, to thank them for their dedication to their country.

More Ideas?

Do you have great ideas for celebrating Veterans Day? Share them with your social networks to inspire other people to acknowledge the day. Reach out to your friends on various platforms, including NextDoor, Facebook, or Instagram, to remind them of the day’s importance.

© 2020 MY HERO CRATE