PORTLAND, OR. - Lt. Colonel Tom Milligan was an Air Force Fighter Pilot in Vietnam. He served our country, flying almost 300 combat missions, and now he serves our Veterans here at home. Tom is the Director of Military Services at Lines for Life, a … [Read more...]
Service Dog Gives Unique Support to a Veteran and the Lines for Life Staff
I’ve got the greatest job! My name’s Benny. I’m a bulldog and one of two canine support specialists at Lines for Life. I provide our military veterans crisis team with emotional grounding support—that’s the technical phrase for using my puppy love … [Read more...]
Lines for Life to Expand Support for Veterans Crisis Line
Lines for Life has been selected from over 160 crisis centers across the nation to be the sole backup center for the national Veterans Crisis Line. We're gearing up to field an estimated 1,200 additional calls each month when the Veterans Crisis Line is … [Read more...]
A Simple Connection Gives Veterans a Way Up
“My whole life since Vietnam has been by serendipity,” says Jeff Rogers, a crisis line volunteer at Lines for Life. “Volunteering came about that way, too.” Jeff came to Lines for Life a year ago. He heard about us through his 13-year role counseling … [Read more...]
Stopping a bridge jumper, finding a brother
Earlier this year on the road, an Army medic in Killeen, Texas spotted a man standing at the railing of a bridge, looking lost. Disoriented. Army Spec. Oscar Killeen pulled over, stepped out of the car, and immediately noticed the haircut. The man … [Read more...]
Accepting the new normal
I was asked to write something, the more personal the better, about what I believe to be helpful in talking with or working with veterans. To be honest, I don’t have a clue. I speak regularly in the Portland Public School system about my military service … [Read more...]
A veteran success story from the Military Help Line
Every day at Lines for Life we take calls from men and women who have bravely served our country, essentially writing a blank check on their lives to protect us, whatever the cost to them. They stood up for us, now we need to stand up for them. Recently … [Read more...]
Here’s to the businesses that hire our vets led by Starbucks
As Veterans Day approaches, we focus on the tangible ways we can thank our veterans for their sacrifice and service for our country. One of the best ways is to hire returning vets and their spouses. Generally speaking Veterans make great employees. They … [Read more...]
A U.S. vet takes their own life every 65 minutes
The latest update on Veteran Suicides is out - and it's worse than previous estimates. It was shocking enough when an average of 18 US Veterans committed suicide each day. New, more accurate figures move that toll to 22. Which equals one US Vet death by … [Read more...]