What can communities do to help reduce or eliminate the pain and suffering our returning veterans and their families endure?

2016-01-27T10:55:17-05:00

Response by SSG Audwin Scott made Jan 27 at 2016 10:58 AM

2016-01-27T10:58:57-05:00

Educate themselves so they can get a better understanding of what vets deal with and go through.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2016 10:59 AM

2016-01-27T10:59:06-05:00

Foster a culture of respect for the armed services by regularly observing holidays and significant events, ie December 7. Invite veterans to speak at local schools or to attend sports events. I could go on for a while, but the biggest thing a community can do is foster the culture of respect.

Response by Robert Cipriano made Jan 27 at 2016 11:03 AM

2016-01-27T11:03:24-05:00

Respectfully mentor and lead from the front.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Jan 27 at 2016 11:17 AM

2016-01-27T11:17:17-05:00

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.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2016 11:20 AM

2016-01-27T11:20:03-05:00

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.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2016 11:39 AM

2016-01-27T11:39:59-05:00

It is like telling a fish water is the best thing for fish and the fish ask where is the water??

Sometime ... most of the time, person who are in the mix of the trouble will never see the trouble itself.

Response by CW3 Jim Norris made Jan 27 at 2016 12:15 PM

2016-01-27T12:15:43-05:00

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

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 27 at 2016 2:02 PM

2016-01-27T14:02:22-05:00

ID what is broken, integrate SM with the medical system, ensure the unit does not abuse the SM, possibly MEB, get help for the whole family to include marriage counseling.

Response by Doug Macdonald made Jan 29 at 2016 3:57 PM

2016-01-29T15:57:58-05:00

Sgt Joe LaBranche, "Seek to understand to be understood." As a non-veteran survivor of PTS let me share some insights. Seven years ago I was a professional golfer/entrepreneur.

Today, I am a double amputee with a traumatic spinal injury restricted to a wheelchair for life & a successful entrepreneur. My thoughts come from my recent experiences. I am not a doctor or psychiatrist nor do I hold any medical degrees.

I did not realize that I was suffering from PTS until I started sharing my feelings and experiences with some veteran friends of mine who were diagnosed with PTSD. We suddenly realized we were suffering the same feelings of confusion, lack of focus, etc.

There are many different levels of PTS and everyone reacts differently. One thing I found we all had in common in the beginning was a tremendous amount of what we called white noise going on in our heads & it was difficult to focus. That caused aggravation which leads to stress or a release of adrenalin into the system which then compounds the situation.

Once we found the ability to eliminate the white noise and focus on 1 or 2 thoughts the stress levels were reduced exponentially and we were able to live a more enjoyable life every day while managing our stress. There was a resource we all found helpful in this process of developing "Optimal Mindset" for survival. If you would like, I would be happy to share the book with you. We found it on Amazon.

Response by SSG John Caples made Feb 2 at 2016 1:52 PM

2016-02-02T13:52:21-05:00

Community leaders and heads of the City or town that the veteran is returning to should be educated on Pts, Tbi , and other problems that the Veteran is suffering from. There should be Vet Center's in every city or town to support and give advice to the veteran or the family member's