Links - Avenue of Flags

This page lists links to sites of interest specifically to current and former U.S. military servicemen and servicewomen, as well as sites related to military history and military affairs. We accept recommendations for connections with other sites. Please email your suggestions to tom@avenueofflags.com

All of these links should lead you to other sites which are outside of our control. Sometimes they make changes that render the link inoperable. If you find a broken link, please send that information to the above email.

Assistance for Veterans

The Guardian’s Nest, Inc. – A nonprofit center in Hermitage, PA, with the mission of provide a comprehensive network of services to meet the physical, emotional and social needs of Veterans and their families.
Canine Companions for Independence – non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. “Some Angels Have Wings, Others Have Tails”
www.iava.org – Mission: Improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families. Vision: An empowered generation of veterans who provide sustainable leadership for our country and their communities.
Make the Connection – public awareness campaign by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that provides personal testimonials and resources to help Veterans discover ways to improve their lives.
Disabled American Veterans – empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity,
It’s About the Warrior Foundation – mission is to create, promote, and maintain a positive, caring, and supportive environment to all of our post 9/11 veterans.
Wounded Warrior Project
Moving Resources for Veterans and Military Families – a list of links to web sites offering a variety of information and assistance, from affordable housing for veterans to pet relocation assistance and relocation tips for military military children (link suggested by the kids at the W.B. Goodwin Community Center in Asheville, NC),

Physical Health

Health.mil – the official web site of the Military Health System and the Defense Health Agency
Smoking – Department of Veterans Affairs information quitting the nicotine habit.
Mesothelioma – Department of Veterans Affairs information regarding compensation for veterans exposed to asbestos while in the armed forces

Mental Health including PTSD

Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator – an on-line source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. Territories for substance abuse/addiction and/or mental health problems.
Mental Health America/Military Mental Health – In partnership with the leading military organizations, Mental Health America distributes educational materials on such topics as reuniting with your spouse and children, adjusting after war, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
VA Mental Health – authoritative mental health information and resources for veterans and their families.
Addiction Center – founded by recovering addicts and health information writers to provide the most up-to-date information on addiction as well as reviews of top treatment centers across the country.

Veterans Benefits

Military.com – resource for all things military
Veterans Benefits Administration – comprehensive information about full spectrum of veterans benefits
Benefits for Disabled Individuals – Medicare and Social Security assistance for which veterans may be eligible

Survivors Benefits

VA program designed to provide dedicated and comprehensive support to Survivors and dependents of deceased Veterans and members of the Armed Services.

Educational Resources

Higher Education Resources for Veterans and their Families – comprehensive guide on GI Bill, guides to vet-friendly college and on-line learning programs, even guidance on the sodial aspects of returning to college.
Military.com/education
Online Colleges for Veterans and Military Personnel – comprehensive guide to help military students avoid potential pitfalls of online education.
2015 Ranking of Best Online Colleges for Veterans by US News & World Report
Servicemember Opportunity Colleges – established in 1972 to help meet the voluntary higher education needs of servicemembers.
College Guide for U.S. Servicemembers – helps you identify education and training opportunities, find support as a college-level learner, and fund your pursuit of higher education
University of Nevada, Reno – online Masters in Social Work Degree program that focuses on helping veterans and their families.

Veteran Business Development

Veteran guide to starting and owning a business – 10% of all small businesses in the United States are launched and run by veterans. Here is some information to help you get started.

Military History

U.S. Army Center of Military History – a global forum for the Center of Military History to distribute historical information and products to inform, educate and professionally develop the soldiers and leadership of the U.S. Army.
Department of Defense related web sites – from the U.S. Army Center of Military History
Naval History and Heritage Command – wide-ranging website on the history, legacy and traditions of the United States Navy.
War History Online – one-stop resource for all military history and news

Aviation history

War on Terror (Including Iraq and Afghanistan)

FBI – official web site on terrorism
CIA – official web site on terrorism
Desert Storm – site honoring those who participated in Operation Desert-Storm and providing an informative resource about the war and the events surrounding it.
Special Operations Command – prepares Special Operations Forces (SOF) to carry out assigned missions and, if directed by the president or secretary of defense (SECDEF), to plan for and conduct special operations.

Vietnam

The Vietnam Center and Archive – over 3.2 million pages of scanned materials including documents, photographs, slides, negatives, oral histories, artifacts, moving images, sound recordings, maps, and collection finding aids. an amazing collection of documents, photographs, slides, negatives, oral histories, artifacts, moving images, sound recordings, maps, and collection finding aids. –
vietnamwar.net – Educational, Entertainment, and Research Material Relevant to the Study of the Vietnam War
virtualwall.org – Info about every person listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund – contribute to the support of the Memorial
VietnamWarCasualties.org – features records of over 58,000 U.S. servicemen who were killed in action or non-combative circumstances during the Vietnam War. Site is searchable by date.
Photos taken by soldiers assigned to the 7th Surgical Hospital in Vietnam in 1966-67. Together, they form a truly remarkable vision of what it was like to be in Vietnam at that time.
Vietnam War Records – from the National Archives
Coffelt Database of Vietnam Casualties
Vietnam War maps – an interesting random collection of maps concerning the Vietnam War

Korea

Korean War History – from the History Channel
Korean War records – from the National Archives
Korean War Educator – information about the Korean War from the perspective of U.S. veterans who were involved in the war effort, as well as American families who lost loved ones in Korea.

World War II

World War II History Info – index to variety of articles about World War II
airbornetroopcarrier.com – dedicated to the men of the Troop Carrier Outfits during World War II
http://www.ww2incolor.com/ – extensive collection of World War II photos
More World War II photos
WW2 Facts and Firsts
WW2 Medals
WW2 Museums
WW2 Pictures
WW2 Ships
WW2 Cars, Tanks, and Airplanes
WW2 Weapons

World War I

firstworldwar.com – a multi-media history of World War I

Military Reenactments

D-Day – the largest annual D-Day reenactment in the United States

Organizations

Directory of Veterans Service organizations – from the Department of Veterans Affairs
American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Military Officers Association of America

Music

“Before You Go” – Memorial song for World War II and Korean War veterans
U. S. Army Band
U. S. Navy Band
U. S. Marine Corps Band
U. S. Air Force Band
U. S. Coast Guard Band

Memorials

War on Terror Foundation – honoring servicemen and women who have died in the War on Terror
Special Operations Memorial – honoring servicemen and women who have died in the War on Terror
National D-Day Memorial – National memorial to the Allied forces who participated in the WWII invasion of France, June 6, 1944.

Museums

National Veterans Art Museum – inspires greater understanding of the real impact of war with a focus on Vietnam. The museum collects, preserves and exhibits art inspired by combat and created by veterans.
Museum and Memorial guide – assists you in locating a military-themed museum, monument or memorial in either the area where you live in or an area where you may be traveling to.
First Division Museum
Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum
Marine Corps Museum, Quantico, VA

Honors

Home of Heroes – tributes to recepients of the Medal of Honor, plus related information
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor

Medals and Awards

Medal of Honor – U.S. Army Center of Military History site with the citation of every Medal of Honor recipient
Congressional Medal of Honor Society – chartered by Congressional legislation in 1958
Department of Defense Manual of Military Decorations and Awards –
The Institute of Heraldry – from the office of the administrative secretary of the Secretary of the Army
Orders and Medals Society of America – to foster and promote the educational development of interested parties though the research, recording and dissemination of information and knowledge of orders, decorations medals and other honors, past and present, military and civil, of the world community of nations.
Military Awards for Valor – list of persons who have received the top three medals awarded for valor – 1. The Medal of Honor; 2. The Distinguished Service Cross (Army), Navy Cross (Navy and Marine Corps), Air Force Cross; 3) The Silver Star

Veterans Memoir Sites

Veterans History Project – a project of the American Folk Life Center of the Library of Congress
Tuolumne Veterans History Project – collecting and preserving the stories of World War II veterans living in Tuolumne County, California.
Links to myriad oral history web sites featuring veterans’ stories http://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-portal.html
Georgetown County Digital Library collection of video interviews of World War II veterans

Genealogical Research

National veterans gravesite locator – Search for burial locations of veterans and their family members not only in government-owned cemeteries, but also in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government-provided veteran grave marker.
Fold 3 – the web’s premier collection of original military records
Military records – search ancestry.com for military records of all periods
World War II military records – search ancestry.com for World War II records
Sons of the American Revolution membership applications