Measuring Oxygen Levels at Home

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With a pulse oximeter, you can monitor your oxygen levels and have a better measure for whether you need to contact your healthcare provider.

Some COVID-19 patients have dangerously low levels of oxygen, which is being called “silent hypoxia.”

When your body doesn’t have enough oxygen, you could get hypoxemia (low oxygen in your blood) which may lead to hypoxia (low oxygen in your tissues) when your blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen to your tissues to meet your body’s needs. These are dangerous conditions. Without oxygen, your brain, liver, and other organs can be damaged just minutes after symptoms start.

Many doctors are recommending that individuals testing positive for COVID-19 monitor their oxygen levels at home with a pulse oximeter. Pulse oximeters are devices you place on your fingertip to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood. These devices use small beams of light that pass through your finger to measure how much oxygen your blood is carrying and your pulse.

Normal oxygen level

A normal oxygen level measured by a pulse oximeter is around 97%. Medical experts start to worry oxygen level drops under 90% because this can affect the amount of oxygen going to your brain and other vital organs. Levels below 80% are considered dangerous and increase the risk of organ damage.

Usually, people with low oxygen levels appear uncomfortable, sometimes even to the point of appearing to be gasping for air. Although, doctors do not clearly understand why some COVID-19 patients have such low levels of oxygen without appearing uncomfortable.

Doctors are divided on whether home monitoring of oxygen levels with a pulse oximeter. In an opinion piece for The New York Times, one ER doctor recommended home oxygen monitoring for patients with COVID-19 because they “believed that information about oxygen levels may help some people seek care earlier if their oxygen level begins to drop”.

Benefits of using a pulse oximeter

Checking oxygen levels at home is beneficial for those diagnosed with COVID-19 or with symptoms that are highly suggestive of infection.

Monitoring your oxygen levels can provide reassurance. If you notice your oxygen levels dropping, you can reach out for medical help.

“The key to taking care of yourself at home with COVID-19 is to carefully monitor your symptoms, especially coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fever, and to inform your healthcare provider about any worsening symptoms. “Paying attention to how you’re feeling is your best guide,” Michael S. Lipnick, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesia and critical care at the University of California, San Francisco, says.

COVID-19 is a viral respiratory illness. Most cases of COVID-19 are relatively mild and can be treated at home. Its symptoms are fever, dry cough, and, sometimes, shortness of breath. These range from mild to severe, and the most serious cases can be fatal, particularly in people who are older or have underlying medical conditions.

References:

  1. https://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/hypoxia-hypoxemia#2
  2. https://blogs.webmd.com/webmd-doctors/20200428/what-is-a-pulse-oximeter-and-can-it-help-against-covid19
  3. https://www.consumerreports.org/medical-symptoms/covid-19-pulse-oximeters-oxygen-levels-faq/

Turmeric Natural Anti-Inflammatory Properties

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Turmeric is derived from a plant similar to ginger and has long been used for medicinal purposes. “Turmeric has natural anti-inflammatory compounds called curcuminoids, and these curcuminoids have been associated with a positive effect on various diseases,” says Anya Guy, a Mayo Clinic dietitian. Those diseases include Type 2 diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer.

Curcumin anti-inflammatory properties make it a potential treatment for a number of health conditions, including reduced pain and increased ease of movement in people with osteoarthritis. One study found that taking turmeric extract three times daily was comparable to taking a 1,200-milligram dose of ibuprofen daily for arthritis pain. However, more research is necessary to confirm these effects.

In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, research suggests that curcumin has many other health benefits. Among them are antioxidant, metabolic-regulating, antimicrobial, immune-modulating, mood-enhancing, neuroprotective and anti-cancer effects.

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, effectively kills certain cancer cells. While research continues on the role turmeric plays in treating cancer, preclinical studies demonstrate curcumin stops the growth of breast cancer cells in the laboratory, but it’s not known if this happens in humans since the body quickly breaks down curcumin, making it difficult to study. High-quality human studies are needed to confirm these findings, and guide effective and safe use of turmeric as a supplement.

Other research suggests that curcumin may reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In addition, it may lessen some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint swelling and morning stiffness. Other areas of investigation include curcumin’s effect on Crohn’s disease, certain cancers, depression, diabetes, joint pain and irritable bowel syndrome.

When taken by mouth or applied to the skin, turmeric — and the curcumin it contains — appears to be generally safe when limited to less than 8 grams a day. That said, different amounts often are recommended depending on the health condition being addressed, and higher doses have been used for limited periods of time. High doses or long-term use may cause gastrointestinal upset for some people.

When ingested as a superfood or when turmeric is used as a spice in culinary cuisine, the curcumin it contains appears to be generally safe among cancer patients. But dietary food sources are different than turmeric supplements or when it is taken as a pill. There is little research to ensure turmeric supplements are safe when used in combination with cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

The use of supplements, like turmeric, among cancer patients undergoing cancer treatment can be a concern. Supplements are not standardized like prescription medications, meaning the dose is not regulated and purity cannot be guaranteed. What you get may differ from bottle to bottle and among brands, and there can be variables depending on what specific part of the plant is used. Many supplements that have powerful anti-inflammatory effects, like turmeric, have blood-thinning properties, which can increase the risk of bleeding and cause complications around the time of surgery.

References:

  1. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/home-remedies-are-there-health-benefits-of-turmeric/?mc_id=us&utm_source=newsnetwork&utm_medium=l&utm_content=content&utm_campaign=mayoclinic&geo=national&placementsite=enterprise&cauid=100721
  2. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-turmeric-use-in-breast-cancer-treatment/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=sm&utm_content=post&utm_campaign=mayoclinic&geo=national&placementsite=enterprise&mc_id=us&cauid=100502&linkId=104085792&fbclid=IwAR3un2cLDzM1wrCo8KHjh7MBqDg28JMQa5xLWtBuUZdRL3cHSWyKLlTGwOo
  3. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-turmerics-anti-inflammatory-properties-may-relieve-arthritis-pain/?mc_id=us&utm_source=newsnetwork&utm_medium=l&utm_content=content&utm_campaign=mayoclinic&geo=national&placementsite=enterprise&cauid=100721

Cyber Secure by Design

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In 2019, victims lost $2.7 billion to cybercrime, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

When it comes to ransomware attacks and data breaches, most cybersecurity experts agree that it’s not a matter of if, but when your business or organization will become a target or a victim of cybercrime. In CyberEdge Group’s 2019 Cyberthreat Defense Report, an astounding 78% of surveyed organizations admitted being victims of cyber attacks. That’s why it’s important to have the right incident response tools and plans in place.

Cybersecurity must become a priority and a core business objective for organizations of all sizes and technology orientation. In order to conduct business and navigate today’s increasingly complex technology threat environment, it is critical for businesses and organizations to devote their time, talent and treasure to securing and building resiliency in cyber technology equipment, systems and protocols.

Cyber security incident plan

Organizations need a written incident response plan, spelling out the necessary steps to address a cybersecurity incident, vulnerability assessments and details on who is is notified, who is responsible for implementing the plan after a data breach.

An incident response plan is a documented, written plan with 6 distinct phases that helps cyber professionals and IT staff recognize and deal with a cyber security incidents like a data breach or ransomware attacks. An incident response plan should be set up to address a suspected data breach in a series of phases. Within each phase, there are specific areas of need that should be considered. The incident response phases are:

  1. Preparation
  2. Identification
  3. Containment
  4. Eradication
  5. Recovery
  6. Lessons Learned

Cybersecurity needs to become core to an organization’s overall business strategy. Organizations and boards need to take effective steps to become “secure by design”. They need to ensure security procedures, controls and policies are integral within all levels of the organization, in all technology solutions and business process from the outset.

Cyber security solutions need to provide the latest cyber threat protection required for an organization’s operations. Whether a business’s digital transformation is migrating to the cloud, application development, leveraging the power of the IoT or integrating IT and operational networks, taking a “secure by design” approach is crucial for business continuity by identifying, responding to, and protecting against known and unknown threats and minimizing the potential effects on core assets.

Shortage of cyber security and IT staff

In most organizations, there exist a critical shortage of cyber security staff. As a result, it has become nearly impossible for organizations to review the plethora of cyber alerts, not to mention investigate and respond to all security incidents. Statistics show that the average time to identify and remediate a cyber security breach is over 100 days. Additionally, the Mandiant Security Effectiveness Report 2020 found that 53% of successful cyber attacks infiltrate organizations without being detected, and 91% of all incidents didn’t generate an alert.

To help address this shortage, the security industry is developing tools to perform automated incident response. An automated tool can detect a cyber security condition, and automatically execute an incident response playbook that can contain and mitigate the incident. For example, upon detecting traffic from the network to an unknown external IP, an incident playbook runs, adding a security rule to the firewall and blocking the traffic until further investigation.

By supplementing manual incident response with automated playbooks, organizations can reduce the burden on security teams, and respond to many more security incidents, faster and more effectively.

Weakest link

Cyber-resiliency also involves recognizing that security is no longer solely a technology or governance, risk and compliance issue. Instead, the whole workforce, including both technical and non-technical employees, should be a student of cybersecurity. Since cyber security is as strong as the organization’s weakest link.

Research participants felt that their respective organizations had invested adequately in cyberthreat solutions. Although four in five respondents (81.7%) felt their employers had invested adequately, that means one in five (18.3%) was not confident in this regard. Given the sophistication and magnitude of today’s cyber threats and the advancements in modern cyber threat hunting technology, the survey results are discouraging.

To implement truly robust and effective measures, businesses and organizations must employ multi-faceted risk mitigations solutions like:

  1. Centrally manage and promulgate robust teleworking solutions to empower and enable employees, customers, and third parties.
  2. Leverage role-based rather than location-based identity and access management solutions, analytics, and controls.
  3. Establish two factor authentication, such as manual phone calls, a system of shared secrets, or other authentication controls.

Technology:

  1. https://www.itproportal.com/features/cyber-security-awareness-month-2020-six-experts-share-their-thoughts-on-staying-safe-online/
  2. https://cyber-edge.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/CyberEdge-2019-CDR-Report.pdf
  3. https://www.itgovernanceusa.com/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-detect-a-cyber-attack
  4. https://www.fireeye.com/current-threats/annual-threat-report/security-effectiveness-report.html
  5. https://www.securitymetrics.com/blog/6-phases-incident-response-plan#:~:text=An%20incident%20response%20plan%20is%20a%20documented%2C%20written,incident%20like%20a%20data%20breach%20or%20cyber%20attack.
  6. https://www.ey.com/en_us/consulting/covid-19-steps-to-defend-against-opportunistic-cyber-attackers?WT.mc_id=10642922&AA.tsrc=paidsearch
  7. https://www.cynet.com/incident-response/incident-response-plan-template/

Becoming Financially Responsible | Vanguard

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  • Live within your means by earning more than you spend.
  • Prepare for both an income shock and a spending shock.
  • Build a strong credit history.
  • Continue to learn and grow your financial literacy muscle

Most people do fall somewhere on the spectrum of financial responsibility.

Keep income > spending

The math behind living within your means is simple: When you subtract what you spend from what you earn, the result should be positive. If it’s negative, you’re living beyond your means.

If you’re in the positive, keep it up. Try to save even more, if you can. If you’re in the negative, don’t panic. Take control:

  • Distinguish between your wants and needs. This may be easier said than done. If you don’t have easy access to another form of transportation, a car is a need. A nice car is a want.
  • Create a budget. Just having a general goal in mind for how much you can spend on certain expenses—food, entertainment, housing, transportation—over a certain time frame can help you make smarter spending decisions.
  • Avoid your spending triggers. Do your best to maintain your discipline, and try to resist temptation. If bargain shopping is your downfall, unsubscribe from promotional emails to reduce temptation. If you overfill your cart when you go to the grocery store before dinner, don’t shop on an empty stomach.

Prioritize your savings

Prepare for an emergency

Having emergency money means you’ll be less likely to need a loan from a friend, a family member, or an institution if your car breaks down or your roof leaks. Even if your emergency stash falls short, it can still lower the amount you have to borrow (and pay back, possibly with interest).

There are two types of emergencies you should prepare for: a spending shock and an income shock. A spending shock pertains to a onetime unexpected expense, such as paying for car repairs after an accident. An income shock represents a sudden loss of continuous income (for example, experiencing a layoff).

Getting started may feel daunting, but begin small and build your savings over time. We recommend setting aside at least $2,000 to prepare for a spending shock. Consider keeping this money in a low-risk investment like a money market fund. That way, your money will be easy to access and won’t change much in value over time.

For an income shock, aim to have at least 3 to 6 months of living expenses set aside. If you’re retired, try to have 12 months of living expenses saved. Don’t be afraid to start small and work your way up: Tally your unavoidable living expenses for one month. Divide the amount by 12. Save that amount each month. When you reach that savings goal in one year, do it again until you have a few months of savings to fall back on.

It is recommended to save money for an income shock in an easily accessible account like a taxable money market account.

Get ready for retirement

You’re responsible for your retirement savings. The details of your retirement—the age at which you stop working, where you live, and how—are up to you.

Here are the top 3 things you can do to prepare for retirement:

  • Enroll in your employer’s retirement plan if one is offered. (If you don’t have a retirement plan benefit, you still have options, such as an IRA.) 
  • Save, or work toward saving, 12%–15% of your gross (pre-tax) annual income, including any employer contributions.
  • Invest your savings in a diversified, low-cost portfolio that complements your time frame and risk tolerance.

You’ll need to consider your monthly expenses when you retire. Most of them will most likely stay the same, but you may need to review new items in your budget (such as Medigap or long-term care insurance) as well as expenses you’ll no longer need to consider (such as payroll taxes, clothes, and gas for work). You’ll also need to determine your monthly income from Social Security, pensions, or any other part-time work or passive income that you may be expecting in retirement.

Give yourself credit

Your credit history refers to how you use money. Your credit report is a record of money-related activity (balances, charges, and payment history) on credit cards, some bills (such as utility bills), and loans associated with your name and Social Security number. A credit score is a number based on your credit report giving potential lenders a sense of how you handle debt payments and bills.

You need to establish a credit history to get credit. If you don’t have a credit history, it can be hard to get a job, a credit card, an auto loan, an apartment lease, or a mortgage. Before a potential employer, lender, or landlord takes on the risk of giving you something, they want to see evidence you can handle it. In the eyes of a potential lender, your credit report and credit score are good measures of how financially responsible you are. Having a strong credit history and a high credit score can also lower your cost to borrow by qualifying you for a lower interest rate.

For example, if you have excellent credit and qualify for a $20,000 auto loan with a 1.5% interest rate for 5 years, you’ll pay about $772 in interest over the course of the loan. If you have fair credit and qualify for a loan with a 3.5% interest rate for 5 years, you’ll pay over $1,800 in interest—a difference of over $1,000 that you could’ve saved or invested.

Review your credit report for accuracy each year. You’re entitled to a free copy of your credit report once a year, but there may be a charge for getting your credit score.

It’s go time

Smart money management skills can take time to develop. Start by holding yourself accountable for the financial decisions you make. You have a lot to gain by spending less than you earn, preparing for an emergency, taking control of your credit, and saving for retirement. But if you don’t take steps to be financially responsible, you also have a lot to lose.

References:

  1. https://investornews.vanguard/becoming-financially-responsible/

Net Worth Statement

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The process of calculating personal net worth may well be the only exercise in financial planning that savers and investors actually enjoy. It, with a personal cash flow statement, provides savers and investors with a financial scorecard of where you stand along the path of financial security.

“A personal income and expense statement [cash flow] goes hand-in-hand with a net worth statement because it allows you to see sources of income and expenses while working and retired,” David Bizé, a financial professional in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, said. “It helps you determine how much can reasonably be saved for financial goals as well as project whether your financial goals will be satisfied long term.”

Calculate your net worth

A net worth statement is a list of what you own (assets) and what you owe (liabilities).

Your assets would include any possessions of value, including:

  • Bank and brokerage accounts
  • Real estate
  • Retirement accounts (IRAs and 401(k))
  • Pension plans
  • Stock options
  • Cash value life insurance
  • Other property, such as artwork

To estimate the value of the personal property in your home, a good rule of thumb is to use 25 percent to 30 percent of its fair market value.

Into the liability column falls any debt you may have, such as:

  • Mortgage
  • Car loans
  • Student loans
  • Credit card balances
  • Child support
  • Alimony
  • Back taxes
  • Medical debt

To calculate your net worth, simply subtract what you owe from what you own. If you own more than you owe, your net worth will be positive. If you owe more than you own, it’s negative.

Appearances can be deceiving, the numbers never lie. Your neighbor with the big house and the luxury cars, for example, may exude a high net worth lifestyle, but if they’re up to their nose in debt, or not saving for their retirement, they may have a smaller net worth than the family next door who lives more modestly.

As a rule of thumb, your net worth should be roughly equal to six times your annual salary by age 60, or that your net worth by age 72 (the new age at which required minimum distributions from your IRA must begin) should be 20 times your annual spending. Other financial pundits suggest that you should aim to be net worth positive by age 30, and have twice your yearly salary socked away for retirement by age 40.

According to the U.S. Federal Reserve, the average net worth of all families in the U.S. rose 26 percent to $692,100 between 2013 and 2016, the most recent year for which data are available.  But the average net worth by age group breaks down as such:

  • Younger than age 35: $76,200
  • Ages 35-44: $288,700
  • Ages 45-54: $727,500
  • Ages 55-64: $1,167,400
  • Ages 65-74: $1,066,000
  • Ages 75 and older: $1,067,000

The ideal net worth differs for everyone and depends on your lifestyle, geographic location, income potential, and investment returns. The age at which you plan to retire also plays a role. The longer you work beyond your full retirement age, the less you need saved.

At the end of the day, all that matters is that your net worth is appropriate for your future financial plans, your financial goals and your lifestyle.

References:

  1. https://blog.massmutual.com/post/net-worth-calculate?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social_pd&utm_campaign=brand_traf_contentsyndication&utm_content=static_election_6200129223294_learn&utm_term=demo_fin_int_all&fbclid=IwAR1x-0otWLiM1UTNrFC5pLTEcXYkRr-wls4qucKmW6VfVjCjSry1dZr4Frg
  2. U.S. Federal Reserve, “Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2013 to 2016: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances. Table 2: Family median and mean net worth, by selected characteristics of families, 2013 and 2016 surveys,” September 2017.

COVID-19 Risk Assessment Planning Tool

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The risk assessment planning tool is designed to tell you how likely you are to encounter a coronavirus-infected person at an event.

The COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool, conceived by Joshua Weitz, a quantitative biologist, and built by a team of researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), offers a risk level forecast for every county in the United States. The risk level is the estimated chance (0-100%) that at least 1 COVID-19 positive individual will be present at an event in a county, given the size of the event.

The tool assumes that the actual number of coronavirus cases is up to 10 times higher than what’s in the official reports, because not all cases will be caught by tests.

The map is updated daily with the latest information on how many cases have been tallied in every county across the U.S. The COVID-19 Risk Assessment Planning Tool went live in July, and the tool’s creators reported that 2 million people had visited the site by September.

The hope is that people would use the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Planning Tool to help them make decisions about how many local friends and family to invite to their celebrations, and whether traveling to different parts of the country is worth the risk, according to Clio Andris, Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning and Interactive Computing, at Georgia Tech.

References:

  1. https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-11-11/covid-19-risk-thanksgiving-2020-what-to-expect
  2. https://covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu

USS Doris Miller (CVN 81) — Aircraft Carrier

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U.S. Navy named its newest aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller (CVN 81).

USS Doris Miller (CVN 81) will be the first aircraft carrier named for an enlisted Sailor and the first named for an African American.

Most supercarriers are named for U.S. presidents — the USS John F. Kennedy. USS Ronald Reagan. USS Abraham Lincoln. Henry Kissinger called them “100,000 tons of diplomacy,” and that power has long been reflected in the Navy’s conventions for naming them.

Doris Miller, who went by “Dorie” in the Navy, was one of the first American heroes of World War II.  He saved the lives of his USS West Virginia (BB 48) shipmates and then valiantly fought attacking Japanese forces during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor.

During the attack and as his battleship, the USS West Virginia, was sinking, he helped move his dying captain to better cover, then jumped behind an anti-aircraft gun and shot at Japanese planes until his ammunition was gone.

For his bravery, he was awarded the Navy Cross—the first African American to receive this honor.

Almost two years after his valor at Pearl Harbor, Miller loss his life when the ship he was assigned was sunk during battle.

For more information:  https://www.npr.org/2020/09/29/917816651/a-military-first-a-supercarrier-is-named-after-an-african-american-sailor

Reference:

  1. https://www.history.navy.mil/news-and-events/multimedia-gallery/infographics/heritage/the-history-of-doris-miller.html

Mindset and the Power of Our

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“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world.” Gautama Buddha

Your mind is very powerful. The way you think and believe about yourself turns into your reality. If you draw inaccurate conclusions about who you are and what you’re capable of doing, you’ll limit your potential.

Link Between Thoughts, Beliefs, Feelings and Behavior

Each one of us has the power to create a reality of our choosing through our thoughts. What you think about and focus on directly influences how you feel and how you behave, according to Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and the international bestselling author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. For example, if you think you’re a failure, you’ll feel like a failure. Then, you’ll act like a failure, which reinforces your belief that you must be a failure.

https://twitter.com/iamjallal/status/1297345759885443072?s=21

Once you draw a conclusion about yourself, you’re likely to do two things;

  • Look for evidence that reinforces your belief and
  • Discount anything that runs contrary to your belief.

It might not be your lack of talent or lack of skills that are holding you back. Instead, it might be your beliefs that keep you from performing at your peak.

Creating a more positive outlook can lead to better outcomes in your personal life and professional career. And, harboring optimistic thoughts  can lead to productive behavior, which increases your chances of a successful outcome.

Change your thoughts, beliefs and behaviors

The good news is that you can change how you think with deliberate practice and effort. You can alter your perception and change your life for the better.

According to Morin, you can alter your perception and change your life by challenging your thoughts and beliefs:

  • Look for evidence to the contrary. Acknowledge exceptions to the rule will remind you that your belief isn’t always true.
  • Challenge your beliefs. Perform behavioral experiments that test how true your beliefs really are. If you think you’re not good enough, do something that helps you to feel worthy. Step outside of your comfort zone, force yourself to do something that feels a little uncomfortable.

With deliberate practice and effort, you can train your brain to think differently and eliminate those self-limiting thoughts and beliefs.

Deep breathing is incredibly beneficial in finding inner peace.

  • Breathe in and out deeply for one minute
  • Hold your breath for four seconds
  • Breathe out

This simple technique will bring about inner peace. Try it out for yourself and see the results.

References:

  1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2016/06/15/this-is-how-your-thoughts-become-your-reality/?sh=1dd1728528a0
  2. https://www.shift.is/2019/07/proof-that-our-thoughts-create-reality/

Veterans Day | 5 Things You Don’t Know About

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Veterans Day is a time for us to pay our respects to those who have served.

When first celebrated as Armistice Day, the day marked the end of World War I, formally recognized on the “11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month” in 1918.

In 1954, the holiday was changed to “Veterans Day” in order to account for all veterans in all wars.

We celebrate the day as Veterans Day on the same day every year — November 11 — regardless of on which day of the week it falls.

Veterans Day Deals and Freebies

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Veterans Day 2020 is on Wednesday, November 11th, 2020.

Veterans Day 2020 freebies, deals and discounts are sure to bring a little joy to someone who protected the freedoms and ideal we hold so dear.

Some Veterans Day deals are subject to change and that individual locations’ participation may vary; valid ID is required for most deals and that some, but not all, are also open to active duty military as well.

The full list of military discounts has you covered. If you’re looking for a well-deserved meal, this list of restaurants offering free meals for veterans is just what you’re looking for. Restaurants including Applebees, Chilis, Red Robin, Friendly’s and Buffalo Wild Wings are just a few of the places offering Veterans Day meals, while you can find other 2020 Veterans Day deals and great freebies at places like Starbucks and Red Lobster.

Veterans Day discounts and meals are ways businesses and organizations give back to Veterans. These Veterans Day discounts, free meals and other programs are being shared so that Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors are aware of all what available to them. 

Due to COVID-19, some organizations are now offering discounts to Veterans all the time instead of their regular Veterans Day discounts. These adjustments help Veterans take advantage of the discounts offered while avoiding the usual Veterans Day crowds.

Golden Corral

Golden Corral will hand out free meal and beverage cards to all active duty and veterans from Nov. 1-30. The card will be valid for use once from Nov. 1, 2020 through May 31. 2021 for lunch or dinner, Monday through Thursday

Veteran Identification Card (VIC)

Veterans can benefit from discounted goods and services with the Veteran ID Card (VIC), even if they are not yet enrolled in VA. Veterans only need to carry the wallet-sized VIC as proof of Veteran status, rather than other documentation, such as their DD-214 form. VA can also connect VIC-holding Veterans to other benefits and services for which they may be eligible. Apply for the VIC now! 

References:

  1. https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/80347/veterans-day-2020-discounts/
  2. https://parade.com/1109400/jessicasager/veterans-day-freebies/#:~:text=1%20Applebee’s.%202%20Arooga’s%20Grille%20House%20%26%20Sports,Pizza.%2010%20Cotton%20Patch%20Cafe.%20More%20items…%20