Posted on Jan 27, 2016
What can communities do to help reduce or eliminate the pain and suffering our returning veterans and their families endure?
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Posted 9 y ago
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I don't think the problem is so much an unwillingness for communities to help, but unwillingness by the Veteran to seek help.
I know that applies to me.
I know that applies to me.
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Suspended Profile
Too true, MSgt Mike Mikulski. The loss of income, and more importantly, great healthcare, is a huge scare. Then there is the fear of PTSD and the unknown...
In my case, I sent out over 200 resumes to get a job as a rabbi, returning from disability. I got nowhere... In the end, though, I'm still suffering debilitating headaches, so there's no way for me to return to work...
In my case, I sent out over 200 resumes to get a job as a rabbi, returning from disability. I got nowhere... In the end, though, I'm still suffering debilitating headaches, so there's no way for me to return to work...
Sgt Joe LaBranche
I don't see it as an unwillingness to seek help, but rather a lack of understanding of the future impact and side effects of combat.
When I returned from Vietnam people would say, "you just need to get over it," which only led to further withdrawal and isolation. I was a Marine and if there was a problem, I could tske care of it. The military teaches us to be strong and fearless, so it makes sense that your ego prevents you from admitting you need help.
It took me 40 years before I could admit that there was a problem and to teach out for help. I tell today's veterans that I wish I eould have listen to people when I was younger. It's better to teach out and talk with other vetetans, froends and family members now, than wait until the problems teally build up and you explode.
My best form of therapy is helping other veterans and putting on Military 101 classes gor civilian, which teaches them about military culture and lifestyle.
When I returned from Vietnam people would say, "you just need to get over it," which only led to further withdrawal and isolation. I was a Marine and if there was a problem, I could tske care of it. The military teaches us to be strong and fearless, so it makes sense that your ego prevents you from admitting you need help.
It took me 40 years before I could admit that there was a problem and to teach out for help. I tell today's veterans that I wish I eould have listen to people when I was younger. It's better to teach out and talk with other vetetans, froends and family members now, than wait until the problems teally build up and you explode.
My best form of therapy is helping other veterans and putting on Military 101 classes gor civilian, which teaches them about military culture and lifestyle.
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PO1 Kenneth Cardwell
Start electing a Congress who will kick some @ss about the slow ass VA, the hospitals not taking care of these vets. Congress, not the President control the money needed!
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Sgt Joe LaBranche
SSG Mick Sobczak - pride makes people do crazy things, both positive and negative. We all have egos that get in the way of recovery and self forgiveness. It appears the older you get the wiser you become and you stop putting up roadblocks and you learn to reach out and share, hear, learn, and heal. Thank you for your service and your input!
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Stop listening to the rhetoric that is force fed on mass media which makes us seem like Natural Born Killers, or privileged folks who think the world owes us something, or ALL of us come home crazy and beat up their spouses. When folks realize that we're the same, but I saw a bit more than you ever will, and I'll be forever changed, we'll move forward. I don't want you to give me shit. I'll take what I earned.
To some of the vet sites on FB that are attracting more civilians than military, on those sites we are our own worst enemy. We spend days dragging the other through the mud, and it goes WAY beyond the common jokes (POG vs. Grunt), but these are personal attacks with the herd mentality. Folks are seeing this, and when they read how many are repeating this, then an opinion can be made, and it groups us all into a group many of us do not belong near let alone in. I bought some tshirts from one site, and in the beginning it was funny. But the jokes started going too far, lasting too long, and you now have SuperVets who come on there and swear they've killed everything under the sun, have all the awards, and were in the hardest units. I've slowly gotten away from those shirts, they are funny, but it doesn't represent me and many vets that I know. Every once in awhile there will be something real of substance, but the attitudes are of those in the barracks rude and obnoxious and swearing they're saving the lives of vets through ignorant comments, attacks, and disrespect from ALL ranks against the government and the President. Since then, I've migrated more to the GSD sites, as a way to find a balance and a semblance of happiness. I'm going to plug a page on FB and I don't get anything from it other than a smile. It's called TenShakesofGrace. it's about two GSD's and a bird, and was recommended to me by a coworker to help me calm down when I'm stressed. I never knew two dogs and a bird could have me laughing so hard when I'm ready to scream inside. And I find that I'm MUCH less stressed after looking at a video or a pic and have told many of my friends to go there too.
To some of the vet sites on FB that are attracting more civilians than military, on those sites we are our own worst enemy. We spend days dragging the other through the mud, and it goes WAY beyond the common jokes (POG vs. Grunt), but these are personal attacks with the herd mentality. Folks are seeing this, and when they read how many are repeating this, then an opinion can be made, and it groups us all into a group many of us do not belong near let alone in. I bought some tshirts from one site, and in the beginning it was funny. But the jokes started going too far, lasting too long, and you now have SuperVets who come on there and swear they've killed everything under the sun, have all the awards, and were in the hardest units. I've slowly gotten away from those shirts, they are funny, but it doesn't represent me and many vets that I know. Every once in awhile there will be something real of substance, but the attitudes are of those in the barracks rude and obnoxious and swearing they're saving the lives of vets through ignorant comments, attacks, and disrespect from ALL ranks against the government and the President. Since then, I've migrated more to the GSD sites, as a way to find a balance and a semblance of happiness. I'm going to plug a page on FB and I don't get anything from it other than a smile. It's called TenShakesofGrace. it's about two GSD's and a bird, and was recommended to me by a coworker to help me calm down when I'm stressed. I never knew two dogs and a bird could have me laughing so hard when I'm ready to scream inside. And I find that I'm MUCH less stressed after looking at a video or a pic and have told many of my friends to go there too.
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CW3 Jim Norris
Warren:
Natural Born Killers...never saw the movie, but it sounds gruesome. You know, no human being is born that way, unless something is wrong with them mentally. We have to be taught to kill another of our own kind. A couple of good books written on the subject by guys who have done the research and unfortunately have used that expertise to assist the DoD in 'tuning' young soldiers....unfortunately, because the DoD has not made use of the other half of the commentary that teaches how to do as much as possible to help the returning combat vet to overcome the natural guilt that will rear it's ugly head in the out years. I'll try and get the name of it for you....read it and really liked it, and shared it with my buddies, but can't recall the title right now.....anyway, be patient with those that rant...don't let it stress you out.....sounds like you've come a long way and have a good voice to be heard....by the way, in my day we called them REMFs :-) Rear Echelon MF's.....God bless....Jim
Natural Born Killers...never saw the movie, but it sounds gruesome. You know, no human being is born that way, unless something is wrong with them mentally. We have to be taught to kill another of our own kind. A couple of good books written on the subject by guys who have done the research and unfortunately have used that expertise to assist the DoD in 'tuning' young soldiers....unfortunately, because the DoD has not made use of the other half of the commentary that teaches how to do as much as possible to help the returning combat vet to overcome the natural guilt that will rear it's ugly head in the out years. I'll try and get the name of it for you....read it and really liked it, and shared it with my buddies, but can't recall the title right now.....anyway, be patient with those that rant...don't let it stress you out.....sounds like you've come a long way and have a good voice to be heard....by the way, in my day we called them REMFs :-) Rear Echelon MF's.....God bless....Jim
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Sgt Joe LaBranche
SSG Warren Swan, thank for your input and continue to stay strong. I read your responses and you have great insight on what is happening today, inside and out side of your world!
Thank you for your service!
Please check out my website: http://www.aboutface-usa.org
Thank you for your service!
Please check out my website: http://www.aboutface-usa.org
military & veteran vocational & life skills training, support group sessions, family empowerment, Tower Gardening, Horse Farm Mngmt, Equine Therapy, BeeKeeping
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SSG Warren Swan
Don't thank me, I asked to do it, and would do it again. Thank you for your brother.
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SSG Warren Swan
CW3 Jim Norris - It's a persona that folks (usually civilians) seem to think we are. No matter what you say, you wore the uniform, you're this or you're that. The one thing I wish DoD would do is spend as much time teaching troops how to "turn the switch off" when they come home as much as they spend turning it on. Turning it on is the easiest part. Give a good leader who can motivate and get the job done, some Solders who want to be part of the team and it's a done deal. When they come home, there's no one to tell any of them, the mission is complete for now, go back to who you were. And until we really spend some time looking at it beyond the stupid powerpoint death briefs and mental health "assessments" where everyone knows the answers to the questions, there will be more and more troops with issues. The entitlement thing is a sore spot for me, and has been discussed on here many times.
I did drop that site on purpose hoping someone else who suffers can use it as a "Happy Place" to calm down and release in a productive manner. Funny how a civilian who's never seen a day in boots showed me that, and I feel so much better inside. At least until the next clown makes me mad lol.
I did drop that site on purpose hoping someone else who suffers can use it as a "Happy Place" to calm down and release in a productive manner. Funny how a civilian who's never seen a day in boots showed me that, and I feel so much better inside. At least until the next clown makes me mad lol.
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Most communities now a days have excellent programs to help vets. I think, like me, too many vets think they can just 'man up' and it will all get better....and so for 25 some years, I was one messed up guy. Then I read "seek and ye shall find, knock and the door will open' and realized it was talking to me. I went and found my first PTSD councilor and discovered that I didn't have to walk around hiding the guilt, feeling the almost shame and remorse that I could get rid of that baggage (mostly) and live a happier life. Go find it guys, your testes will not shrivel, nor will you be 'found out'....it can be a difficult path, but beats the hell out of the alternative.....Jim
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