Challenge Coins for Veterans at VA
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VA LOMA LINDA AND THE S.T.A.R. PROGRAM
Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center is a 251-bed VA hospital located in Loma Linda, California. Opened in 1977, the hospital presently serves a population of over 300,000 men and women from all branches of the Armed Forces.
For many veterans—whether they were stationed in the US or deployed overseas—the readjustment to civilian life can be difficult. This is especially true for those returning from Iraq or Afghanistan or those who fought in Vietnam, the Korean conflict, or World War II. Faced with difficulties at home or haunted by memories of trauma (“PTSD”), many veterans fall upon maladaptive ways of coping, such as alcohol or substance abuse.
But for those in need, help is available. At VA Loma Linda, veterans seeking help for alcohol or drug abuse turn to the hospital’s Substance Treatment And Recovery (S.T.A.R.) program. This yearlong treatment program provides comprehensive medical and mental health services to hundreds of men and women with PTSD and substance abuse issues, and is recognized as one of the finest healthcare programs of its kind in the nationwide VA system.
WHAT IS A CHALLENGE COIN?
No one knows exactly where and when the tradition began, but one thing is certain: Coins and military service go back thousands of years. In Ancient Rome, if a soldier performed well in battle, he would receive his typical day’s pay, and a separate coin as a bonus. Some accounts say that the coin was specially minted with a mark of the legion from which it came, prompting some men to hold on to their coins as a memento.
Today, the use of coins in the military is much more nuanced. While many coins are still handed out as tokens of appreciation for a job well done, especially for those serving as part of a military operation, there are also coins that a soldier can use like an ID badge to prove they served with a particular unit.
S.T.A.R. COINS AS AN AID TO RECOVERY
Challenge Coins are valued by all members of the Military, but they have special significance among patients in recovery. Many 12-step programs use coins as recognition for specific lengths of sobriety (e.g., 30-day, 60-day, 6-month, 1-year). With that tradition in mind, the goal of S.T.A.R. is to introduce custom-designed, high-quality Challenge Coins to its program. These coins serve as an incentive for veterans to remain abstinent and as recognition for each phase of the program successfully completed. As veterans advance through each of STAR’s five phases—Responsibility, Readiness, Action, Resilience, and Transition—they are awarded a new coin. The coins will not only serve as a measure of sobriety and symbol of commitment, but will be a source of additional support to vets during especially challenging times.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
While basic operation costs of the VA are well funded, smaller initiatives—such as Challenge Coins for S.T.A.R. patients—generally are not. Which is why S.T.A.R. needs our help!
S.T.A.R. needs to raise $2700 for 500 coins in total—100 coins for each the program’s five phases. This should be sufficient to supply the program for approximately two years. Each phase would have its own unique design and coin metal (nickel, copper, bronze, silver, and gold) at a cost of $540 per 100 coins (which includes $100 for 3D and $100 for Molding). Cost would go down significantly in the future because there would no longer be a Mold Fee.
Pictured above is the basic design idea. The coins will be 1.5” in diameter. The inner circle will be textured, contain the VA Loma Linda logo, and the star will be raised or beveled. Although unique on the front side, all five phases would have the same design (the VHA logo with eagle) on the back. Purchase would be through a licensed vendor approved by the VA Loma Linda. 100% of funds would be used exclusively for purchase of the Challenge Coins.
MAKING AN IMPACT ON VETERANS LIVES
For many veterans, hearing the words “Thank You For Your Service” gets them through the day. With your generous contribution to this “GoFundMe” project, these Challenge Coins will help them even further—by reinforcing their commitment to recovery and helping them navigate through the S.T.A.R. program with dignity and honor.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this GoFundMe project, which we aim to achieve by November 11 in honor of Veterans Day. We hope that you will donate!
Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center is a 251-bed VA hospital located in Loma Linda, California. Opened in 1977, the hospital presently serves a population of over 300,000 men and women from all branches of the Armed Forces.
For many veterans—whether they were stationed in the US or deployed overseas—the readjustment to civilian life can be difficult. This is especially true for those returning from Iraq or Afghanistan or those who fought in Vietnam, the Korean conflict, or World War II. Faced with difficulties at home or haunted by memories of trauma (“PTSD”), many veterans fall upon maladaptive ways of coping, such as alcohol or substance abuse.But for those in need, help is available. At VA Loma Linda, veterans seeking help for alcohol or drug abuse turn to the hospital’s Substance Treatment And Recovery (S.T.A.R.) program. This yearlong treatment program provides comprehensive medical and mental health services to hundreds of men and women with PTSD and substance abuse issues, and is recognized as one of the finest healthcare programs of its kind in the nationwide VA system.
WHAT IS A CHALLENGE COIN?
No one knows exactly where and when the tradition began, but one thing is certain: Coins and military service go back thousands of years. In Ancient Rome, if a soldier performed well in battle, he would receive his typical day’s pay, and a separate coin as a bonus. Some accounts say that the coin was specially minted with a mark of the legion from which it came, prompting some men to hold on to their coins as a memento.Today, the use of coins in the military is much more nuanced. While many coins are still handed out as tokens of appreciation for a job well done, especially for those serving as part of a military operation, there are also coins that a soldier can use like an ID badge to prove they served with a particular unit. S.T.A.R. COINS AS AN AID TO RECOVERY
Challenge Coins are valued by all members of the Military, but they have special significance among patients in recovery. Many 12-step programs use coins as recognition for specific lengths of sobriety (e.g., 30-day, 60-day, 6-month, 1-year). With that tradition in mind, the goal of S.T.A.R. is to introduce custom-designed, high-quality Challenge Coins to its program. These coins serve as an incentive for veterans to remain abstinent and as recognition for each phase of the program successfully completed. As veterans advance through each of STAR’s five phases—Responsibility, Readiness, Action, Resilience, and Transition—they are awarded a new coin. The coins will not only serve as a measure of sobriety and symbol of commitment, but will be a source of additional support to vets during especially challenging times.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
While basic operation costs of the VA are well funded, smaller initiatives—such as Challenge Coins for S.T.A.R. patients—generally are not. Which is why S.T.A.R. needs our help!
S.T.A.R. needs to raise $2700 for 500 coins in total—100 coins for each the program’s five phases. This should be sufficient to supply the program for approximately two years. Each phase would have its own unique design and coin metal (nickel, copper, bronze, silver, and gold) at a cost of $540 per 100 coins (which includes $100 for 3D and $100 for Molding). Cost would go down significantly in the future because there would no longer be a Mold Fee.
Pictured above is the basic design idea. The coins will be 1.5” in diameter. The inner circle will be textured, contain the VA Loma Linda logo, and the star will be raised or beveled. Although unique on the front side, all five phases would have the same design (the VHA logo with eagle) on the back. Purchase would be through a licensed vendor approved by the VA Loma Linda. 100% of funds would be used exclusively for purchase of the Challenge Coins.MAKING AN IMPACT ON VETERANS LIVES
For many veterans, hearing the words “Thank You For Your Service” gets them through the day. With your generous contribution to this “GoFundMe” project, these Challenge Coins will help them even further—by reinforcing their commitment to recovery and helping them navigate through the S.T.A.R. program with dignity and honor.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this GoFundMe project, which we aim to achieve by November 11 in honor of Veterans Day. We hope that you will donate!Organizer
Edith Becker
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA