There’s an app for everyone these days, and now one for military veterans as well.

Lloyd Deans, a Bridgewater NJ veteran who served in Iraq, has designed a free app aimed to help veterans returning home from duty. The app—aptly named Deans List—is available for smartphones as well as tablet devices. Deans List was unveiled last August through the Google Play store as well as the Apple App store.

“I stated, ‘I wanted to be a veteran advocate,’ because of the high suicide rates, because of the need for alternative programs to help veterans waiting on the VA to fill their claims, because unfortunately, the hard truth is that nobody cares about veterans,” Deans told Patch.com.

Dean wanted to help veterans worldwide, so he created an app compiling a list of useful resources for veterans transitioning back into civilian life. These resources include information on where to find military discounts, job opportunities, mental, health, and peer support, legal services, wellness resources, veterans’ services and education and family resources.
In short, the app is designed to make finding services of all kinds easier for both veterans and their families.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between the years 2007 and 2011 more than 240,000 veterans were living in San Diego County.

San Diego State nursing student and veteran Bryan Irby said the app is a useful tool for veterans.

“I’m not from San Diego so it’s good to have access to what’s local,” Irby said.

Deans List not only connects veterans to a variety of resources, but to their peers as well. Users can chat instantly with others within the app’s community. This is a primary feature Deans wanted to include in the app. He said he wants the app to provide a way for veterans to pose questions or concerns so others within the community can work together to solve problems.

Also included are news and video feeds covering issues relevant to veterans. These issues are featured on the feeds’ breaking news. Testimonials about military life, comedy and meditation are among other topics.

“It’s something that every veteran could use. I think there should be more apps like it,” communication senior and veteran Timothy Ortega said.
Deans List has a five-star rating in the Google Play store. As of last month, according to a statement Deans List released to the Bridgewater Patch, the app had approximately 600 downloads.