By Matthew Wells, Regional Communications Director

The United States government has a unique arrangement with the (Compact of Free Association) COFA nations, their citizens may serve in our military and are, in turn, given the benefits afforded to active-duty service members and veterans. When their service ends, many of these veterans stay in the States to continue having access to those benefits. What about those who need or want to return home? To ensure that these veterans continue to receive support, the American Red Cross has begun service outreach to the COFA nations in the form of behavioral health workshops. These efforts are being spearheaded by Julie Greenly of the Pacific Islands Region, who spent two weeks touring the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) to build relationships and coordinate the first round of workshops.

Workshops were led by Nneoma Lewis, an American Red Cross volunteer from Guam who served as the primary facilitator. Her training allows her to help attendees deal with stress and develop greater communication skills. These are designed to be lessons that will last a lifetime and improve both social and professional situations. The sessions are attended predominantly by veterans, but also their families, some active-duty service members and community leaders have joined. At each stop along the tour, attendees and community leaders were engaged for feedback. The reception has been positive, providing the American Red Cross with a greater sense of what the veterans are hoping to see as these programs are developed.

“I extend the administration’s heartfelt gratitude to American Red Cross through your team for its genuine investment in our veterans,” says Hainrick Panuelo, Director of the FSM Office of Veterans Affairs. “We certainly value the relationship we’ve forged and look forward to working with your team going forward on ways to improve the services to and the livelihoods of our veterans in the FSM.”

Julie and Nneoma brought their presentations to Kosrae and Pohnpei, FSM, and to Majuro and Kwajalein, RMI. These are the first steps in our journey of outreach and partnerships with the COFA nations. As much as we hope that those who attend the workshops learn from us, we need to learn from them. As veterans of the United States Military, they have earned the support and care of the American Red Cross.