Message from Mike Jones of Not Alone on November 11,
2011
Today is
Veterans Day, the day our nation has set aside to honor American veterans. This
day reminds us of the sacrifices so many men and women have made and gives us
the opportunity to thank them for our freedom. This year, it is especially
important that we not only honor our veterans for their bravery and selfless
service, but remember to continue supporting these individuals once they return
home.
We are
approaching an end to the war in Iraq that our nation has been a part of for
more than a decade. But for most veterans, war does not end when our public
officials declare that combat has come to a close. The end of a war, for many,
is the beginning of a struggle to reclaim a “normal life.”
For those who
have never experienced it, the aftermath of war is very hard to imagine, and
few veterans will discuss just how difficult it can be. The Pew Research Center
recently released results from a survey illustrating the challenges veterans
come home to:
44 percent of
post-9/11 veterans said they have had difficulty readjusting to civilian life.
Only 25 percent of veterans who served in earlier wars said they faced this
same challenge.
48 percent of
post-9/11 veterans said they have experienced strains in family relations since
returning home.
47 percent
have had frequent outbursts of anger.
32 percent
said there have been times where they felt they didn’t care about anything.
37 percent of
all post-9/11 vets believe they have suffered from post-traumatic stress (PTS).
Only 16 percent of veterans who served prior to 9/11 make this claim.
Among
post-9/11 veterans who were in combat, 52 percent said they had emotionally
traumatic or distressing experiences in war, and 75 percent of these men and
women are still reliving these experiences in the form of flashbacks or
nightmares.
Over the next
several months, many more combat veterans will return home. Too many will put
on a brave face and confront their demons in silence. They will struggle to
return to their previous lives and connect with friends and loved ones. We will
see continued increases in alcohol and drug abuse, divorce, domestic violence
and suicides as service members and their loved ones strain to cope with life
after war.
This Veterans
Day, we must acknowledge veterans’ struggles in combat and in coming home.
I would like
to think that, as a society, we will remember our veterans by giving thanks to
and supporting those who have sacrificed so much for us. We must honor these
men and women on Veterans Day and in the months and years that follow their
homecomings.
Now is the
time to support the veterans in your life as they have supported and protected
you. If you see a man or woman struggling to combat the aftermaths of war, help
them. Not Alone is one of the vital resources available to assist veterans and
their families rebuilding their lives — and, by extension, our nation — after
war. Not Alone has helped provide thousands of hours of confidential, no-cost
assistance to our returning combat veterans over the past 18 months. Visit our
website at www.notalone.com
or call us anytime at 1-888-454-0950 for help.
Mike
Jones is co-founder and executive director of Not Alone, a not-for-profit
organization that provides programs, resources and services to warriors and
families impacted by combat stress through a confidential and anonymous community.
He can be reached at mike@notalone.com.
Mike is also an active member of the Middle TN Chapter, MOAA.
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