Coming Home PA is a project about veterans’ return to civilian life spearheaded by PublicSource and reported in cooperation with its local media partners, who include Essential Public Radio (90.5), The Allegheny Front, The New Pittsburgh Courier, The Pittsburgh City Paper, Pop City and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Here are reports coming today and this week. Other occasional stories will be produced in coming months.
Saturday, April 14
Allegheny Front on 90.5 at 7:30 am: The Allegheny Front’s Jenelle Pifer profiles an outdoorsman who hated the desert in Iraq and is happy to be back in the hills of Pittsburgh, training for a marathon. And Allegheny Front host Jennifer Szweda Jordan interviews Stacy Bare, of the national Sierra Club’s Nilitary Families and Veterans Initiative. www.alleghenyfront.org
Sunday, April 15
PublicSource: PublicSource’s Halle Stockton gives an overview of how Pennsylvania vets are coping on the homefront — with PTSD, war injuries, unemployment and relationship problems. And the website hosts a slideshow of photos sent in by veterans local veterans as well as a slideshow of award winning military photographs.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: An overview of veterans trying to find jobs in a fragile job market by Mackenzie Carpenter and Molly Born. www.post-gazette.com
KDKA-AM (1020): Chris Moore interviews media representatives who participated in Coming Home PA. 6 to 7 p.m.
Monday, April 16
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Second of two parts on problems with licensing and credentialing and the overall job hunt. www.post-gazette.com
Essential Public Radio, WESA-FM (90.5): Erika Beras reports on post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans who served in Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan. Airs 6:40 and 8:40 a.m. www.essentialpublicradio.org
Tuesday, April 17
Essential Public Radio, WESA-FM (90.5): Larkin Page-Jacobs looks at what it’s like to be in the dating scene with PTSD. Airs 6:40 and 8:40 a.m. www.essentialpublicradio.org
Wednesday, April 18
Pittsburgh City Paper: Some veterans are coming back energized to become more politically active — sometimes even against war. www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws
New Pittsburgh Courier: The job search facing African American veterans. www.newpittsburghcourieronline.com
Pop City: A ministry that reaches out to homeless veterans. www.popcitymedia.com
Essential Public Radio, WESA (90.5): “Essential Pittsburgh” host Paul Guggenheimer will host a live public forum at 7:30 pm at 67 Bedford Square. Doors open at 6:30 pm. www.essentialpublicradio.org
Thursday, April 19
PublicSource: PublicSource’s Michael Ringling looks at the GI Bill, the recent changes it’s been through, what it provides and what it’s like for vets to return to the classroom. www.post-gazette.com and www.publicsource.org.
Friday, April 20
Essential Public Radio, WESA-FM (90.5): Paul Guggenheimer talks with a panel of experts and veterans on “Essential Pittsburgh.” Airs noon and 8 p.m. www.essentialpublicradio.org
Sunday, April 21
PublicSource: Jackie Spinner, who covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the Washington Post, writes about the experiences of journalists embedded with the soldiers.