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Subscribe to RSSA jail in San Bruno, Calif., is helping incarcerated veterans heal from mental war wounds during their sentences.
For many military veterans, the transition to peace-time living is a tumultuous one. They discover the survival instincts and trip-wire reflexes they developed in the warzone are ill-suited for life in the civilian world.
The inability to leave the battlefield behind is landing growing numbers of vets behind bars, a problem that is leading law enforcement agencies around the country to look for new ways of assimilating the current wave of spiritually battered warriors.
Among the promising approaches to reduce recidivism among vets is the COVER Project at the San Francisco County Jail in San Bruno, Calif.
COVER -- Community of Veterans Engaged in Restoration -- was created in 2010 by the San Francisco Sheriff's Department to help veterans develop a new approach to life when their sentences are up.
Most veterans behind bars are there because of violence or drug- related offenses, according to Sunny Schwartz, the program administrator. In 2004, the most recent data available, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics found that 57 percent of veterans in state prisons were serving time for violent offenses, with 22 percent doing time for drug-related offenses.
The project recognizes the unique needs of veterans, said Schwartz, which is why it provides services for them in a separate unit of the jail, away from the general inmate population.
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Upon entering the San Francisco jail system, veteran inmates are directed to the COVER Project's “pod” at the San Bruno Jail, where a variety of counseling programs are available. Some are aimed at building accountability and changing violent behaviors, while others concentrate on treating PTSD.
“They are addicted to a certain male role model, one that solves problems with violence and acts instinctively without considering the consequences,” said Sheriff’s Capt. Kevin Paulson, the San Bruno facility commander. “We are trying to change that and offer a new way of thinking.”
The “Man Alive” counseling program is one of many offered in the pod. It demands that the inmates acknowledge their violent behavior before the start of each class, then analyze past incidents with an instructor, who is usually an ex-convict and veteran himself.
Among the veterans in “Man Alive” is Aarin Ivans, a 38-year-old Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ivans, who has been in the COVER Project for the last few months, said he appreciates the new tools that he has obtained to help him act differently once he is released from jail.
"I never really had an opportunity to identify with the way other people feel -- the way they act toward their feelings and emotions," Ivans said. "I don't know that stuff."
Ida McCray, manager of the COVER Project, said that in addition to helping veterans stay out of jail once they are released, the nation needs to do a better job keeping them from being incarcerated in the first place.
“There is much more that we can do,” she said. “… We all, as a community, should make a much better effort in prevention, understanding, and helping veterans to stay out of jail.”
"Who would you rather come back to your neighborhood," Schwartz asked, "a man who has been spending eight hours a day to learn how to stop his violence, or someone who is sitting in his cell with all the time in the world to learn how to be a better criminal?"
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Do you really want to heal wounded spirits? Don't put them in cages.
Agreed, I too am a vet and lucky don't have this problem however I see a lot of my friends coming back battered. I'm trying to get an upstart business off the ground on the side that will focus on hiring vets only. I know how hard working we are and to be in a place were they can all share their experiences. The skill sets learned by the military do in fact translate to the civilian workforce very well from a discipline and ethics standpoint.
As it turns out a large group of those fighting all the wildfires are vets that have recently separated from service.
Why is this not done for everyone not just vets,vets did the fighting but the other citizens at home paid the bill.
There are plenty of programs for regular criminals. The issue being addressed here is that you have soldiers that have been sucked into PTSD along with the VA's piss poor management to get troops the treatment needed once they have separated from service. Anybody who has dealt with the VA (admin side) can tell you its very depressing to get anything done. The HC workers very much care however there is a disconnect with management.
Back to the point, these vets are use to high adrenaline situations when you're getting attacked, on patrol. When you come back state side to the "in the box" environment soldiers have a hard time adjusting to people who don't understand what they have experienced among PTSD.
Again, my project will hire vets where they can relate and move on....
As a vet (OIF3 FOB Camp Cooke) I can say that although the thought is a nice one, there were a majority of folks that never or almost never went outside the wire and many of those who did, did so once or twice at most. It drives me nuts (no pun intended) how there seems to be this conception that all or most vets were ever in 'high adrenaline situations' as a regular occurrence. True, every FOB had its share of incoming indirect fire to a greater or lesser extent but in no way was it little more than a minor intrusion in the lives of most 'fob-bits'.
Even for those of us on the road convoying, or doing convoy security, as I did, there were many who dealt with stress and worry of what may happen that never amounted to a single IED or small arms attack.
Basically, I'm just kind of tired of endless portrayals of ALL of us as battered, spiritually and emotionally. There certainly are many of us that are but it helps no one that ALL vets are lumped together in this way. The reality is that there are a small minority of thugs and losers in the armed forces, just as there is in the general civilian population (although I'd like to believe its a smaller percentage than among civs).
The solution put into play here would be a good one for ALL people in jail. A very small percentage of the population are vets... what about the civilians who have grown up in gang life, etc. who have no better coping skills? The prisons don't have a problem locking them up and turning them into worse criminals! Talking about "who do you want back in your neighborhood"... WHY wasn't this done earlier for others and why is it only limited to soldiers with PTSD now? If it works, then use it for EVERYONE so we don't continue to lock up someone for smoking pot and letting them out with a killer mind??
GimDan... If you were in my area, I would go out of my way to do business with you if I needed your services or products. Wish you the best of success in your business and thanks for your service.
Yeah, and then they are gonna stick their name in a database open to the public so that any Jackass that wants to humiliate them can do so. So humiliate them publicly and destroy their chances at a job because of an arrest. Yep thats the way intelligent people help out.
What I don't understand is that theres so many vets affected by ptsd, or just not fitting back into society, and these were volunteers...where as back in the glory days of vietnam, we were 90% draftees and I know there were and still are lots of viet vets that are having problems but..,percentage wise it seems theres more guys today being affected than what there were during/after vietnam?....maybe they're just more visible now and get more attention, rather than during 70's people were trying to forget vietnam and associated politics, and the vets were forgotten with them, kind of like the korean vets....maybe someday they'll have a stress test to see who has a less likely chance of being screwed up in a war/police action...
coyotehunter,
I thought they had to pass a mental exam to enter the service perhaps I am wrong? As far as work they get points for federal jobs and a lot of the post office employees are veterans.
There are more applying for disability and in the past. I know things were awful for them but so were things in Viet Nam and Korea. I often think of the first soldiers who entered the death camps during WW11. What a soul changing experience to see mans inhumanity. This country really should to vote if we need to go to war. It is to important to leave it to congress and lobbyists. it is one point where it is to important to leave to a few men and women who have special interest.
Coyote...I just talked to Iraq vet on meds for PTSD about an hr ago on how he was doing. Sometimes he goes off meds because he thinks he cured himself, then falls right back. He has a ton of family support. 3 tours there he said. They burned him out.
My friends that came back from Viet Nam, the ones that lived, drank and did a lot of drugs and said it over and over...Fu*k it all.
My high school girl friends dad WAS A wwii VET and survived the big battles against Germany. I spent 2 days hunting up north with him. He led me out to a field several miles away from everyone where there was a huge dug out hole like a crater. Said he went there for peace for over 20 years, never shot a deer all those years and his wife ripped him up and down for going to same place. He never talked about the killing...just wanted quiet peace because he said he heard guns going off in his head every day. He found peace and safety in that hole. He said with a blank look on his face, "I will never Talk about what I saw, what I had to do."
My highschool girlfriend said, her dad, never laughed, never smiled, every day was a day of blank looks.
3 different times and 3 different ways to deal with war. ( I was Reserve EVAC med).....saw returns from V.N.
Wish em all peace......
Denver I agree and that would work in a more perfect society. However we have to deal the cards handed us, so I salute this sheriff for trying to make the best of a bad situation. I have fought PTSD for more years than I can remember, it has made me a very tired old man. It stopped what could otherwise have been "perhaps" a prosperous and happy life. The government owes the veteran a great deal and the VA struggles to meet their needs. I don't care what administration you place it on, Republican or Democrat. Take care of the veteran and think about the consequences when you decide to go trouncing on other nations.
To Coyote,
There are not more today than after Vietnam. In the 60's and 70's nobody knew what PTSD was. There was no treatment for it at the VA at the time. A massive amount of Vietnam vets went to prison, became druggies, dropped out and nobody knew why for years.
Being a veteran doesn't mean jack s..t to employers. If you are a felon, 99.99% of the employers out there will black ball you and tell each other about it, espeically if you're looking in the temp field or the so-called felon friendly day worker field. You can't even get a job at 99% of the fast food places out there (NPC, who owns pizza hut will hire you, and the Harman Foods industry, who owns most of KFC, but the rest will just trash your application as soon as you walk out the door). If you're a felon, you need to get some certified skill and employ yourself in construction, self working as an independent contractor, or find someone you know and is a friend to hire you.
This goes for all offenders. Don't even try for college, because businesses that want college grads DON'T want felons. 'nuff said.
We need to make felons another part of the ADA group in order to get them off the streets, and back onto a productive life. There is no evidence at all according to the US DOJ that shows felons are more or less likelyi to reoffend than any nonoffender. In fact, it DOES show, several times, that you are more likely to be the victim of a crime by a nonoffender than an offender.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't be aware, but there is no reason some junkie can't work a fast food job which has no responsibility. Even if he does steal from the cash drawer, that's why we pay all those insurance premiums.
On top of this, if you do hire an offender, often times the press and public hypocrisy will unleash a torren of hate media at you until you have no choice but to fire the offender. I'm not saying that sex offenders should work at schools, or that junkies should work at a pharmacy. But, we do need to exercise some common sense and make it illegal to refuse employment to an offender based SOLELY on the fact that they're an offender. The only exceptions i have ever seen to this social mandate are people that are seriously rich or own their own multibillion dollar companies (e.g. Martha Stewart, Jake Jabbs, etc.).
WAKE UP AMERICA!!!
What I see all our vets as needing is a chance to decompress. That's time with counseling, and just being in peace and quiet. No guns going off, no drill sergeants yelling inane orders, none of that stuff. What do they get? Sounds like the same thing we 'Nam vets got coming back to the world: We landed, got off out planes, and were on our own. Bye, bye, GI; don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. When GI's get back home, they need time to decomppress, get some counseling to get their feelings in order, and time to "practice" civilian life. After WWII, GI's had time for this on the troop ships as they came home. The trips could take several weeks. The GI's could talk among themselves, and find out they weren't alone with their feelings and fears, that most of the other GI's had similar feelings and fears. They could talk it out and get de-fused, as it were. Also, In WWII, the average GI saw 41 (?) days of actual combat in his 4 years in Europe or the Pacific. The Pacific was worse, however. In Viet Nam, it was over 240 days of combat out of a 365-day tour. Quite a difference. And what kind of decompression did the Nam Vet get? How long is the flight home? That's how long. Then they were on their own, too often facing jeering, spitting mobs at the airport. Welcome home, GI! I'm not sure what it's like nowadays. Perhaps somebody could update me. I do, however, still think returning GI's should have the needed time to get back into being able to live in the civilian world, where the next backfiring car/truck is just a noise, not a bomb going off. To that end, I think this is a good idea. A bit late and after the fact, but better than incarceration and letting them learn how to focus and use their PTSD as better criminals.
It's more reasonable to say that veterans commit crimes because they don't have jobs and because drugs are illegal. If we'd give them a job and legalize drugs, not only would veterans' crimes decrease - non-veterans crimes would decrease as well. Crime is the result of lack of employment and laws that create victimless crimes, like our drug laws. If we made breathing a crime, we'd all be criminals.
That is beyond ignorant Eddie, to think that legalizing drugs....making it easier for them to become addicted to them...will help them. Wow, I mean I don't even wanna know how your mind thinks this crap up.
It would appear that drugs don't need to be illegal in order for untold numbers to become addicted to them. Making them illegal certainly hasn't done anything to stop addiction. All it does is add criminalization to their problems.
So drug crimes are victimless? Try telling that to the person who had their home broken into, so a drug addict can get cash for their drugs. What about the millions of people paying higher insurance premiums because of the money paid out to the insured as a result of this victimless crime. There's nothing victimless about it. Eventually someone will be a victim, but it will most likely NOT be the drug user.
VICTIMLESS CRIME? Are you freaking serious!?! Drug crimes are as "victimless" as when a drunk crashes a car into a van filled with children, or into a house with kids inside, or rolls the car and kills everyone but themself. The ONLY difference between alcohol and (currently) illegal drugs is that alcohol is legal!
We send them to war, however we are slow to help them when they come back, this is a large step in the right direction, now the rest of the cities need to do the same. Bill
To many GAYS in the San Francisco County Jail in San Bruno, Calif. They are not vets. The gays who are in management hinder any type of rehab.
this was intended to be an intelligent conversation with a lot of constructive ideas flowing.....if you have nothing to add shut the hell up!!
Some logical comments are made and then Raymond the town idiot shows up.
Earth Soul, What Raymond states is factual. Like it or not that's the way it is.
Raymond, you are an idiot.
What logic, that gays are in management right? Because I know your not insinuating that they, gays are hindering any type of rehab, right???
And now his family member shows up. What part of his comment has anything to do with the article.
Gays have no conception of philosophical theories about moral rightness, virtue.
The article did touch on PTSD, but no mention whatsoever about assessing these vets for other mental health disorders where the drugs and violence are being used as a release. Where is the counseling and other therapies beside peer based counseling?
The article didn't touch on PTSD, because in most if not all of these cases these guys are losers without the help of PTSD. These articles lead us to believe that all of these great upstanding citizens were on their way to leading a productive life but the military and war turned them into criminals. I deal with losers like this all of the time and that's what they are. No different than a regular criminal or idiot, they just have served. Think of all of the previous wars that were fought by real men and women who then carried on with their lives. We can help with some of the PTSD issues but your sorry arse has to be worth something for it to work.
I help homeless veterans, 300-500 per year! On behalf of the current ones and all those of the past, YOU ARE A SORRY HUMAN BEING!
Amen.. I second your evaluation!
ditto to that gentlemen!!!
Until you have spent a year in constant fear of your life....you have nothing to add to this conversation....
Unless everyone of you is or was 11B or it's equivalent you don't have anything to say to me (Michael - I'm sure you were SF right). Constant fear...everyday...from these wars...nice one. Try that on someone else. Easiest wars in history with the biggest amount of whinners. With an average of 9 to 11 claims per VA claim...total BS! Being Homeless (mr knowitall) is not the same as being a frickin criminal you absolute moron. I'm sure you do work with them, you sound like the entitlement kind of guy. Military service is not an excuse for violent crime or for anything. You join..you deal with it. Most of these folks (the ones the article is referring to) are NOT upstanding citizens and had many if not all of them had issues before service. Let me know how you feel when the violent crime is directed at your family.
it's not just 11B that has been to combat Doug...nobody actually said that military service was an excuse for violent crimes, it's just some folks had a harder time dealing with the after effects of war, just like some folks have harder times dealing with any bad things that could happen during our lifetime and some of us can shelf it and others can't, it's the way we are wired. Yes, some real a$$holes got through recruiters and MEPS and onto the battle fields, but you also know as a combat vet, that you had some great guys by your side and maybe you've lost touch with some of those folks and just maybe one of those folks lost touch with reality...and I'm sorry that you had a violent crime directed at you, but so have a lot of us, I'm a victim of rape while on active duty by another military member...pulled my boots back on and have gone on with my life.
Air Force Vet and mother of a combat soldier
I would like to be all philosphical in regards to your comment "Jones", but I think the term ass wipe pretty much covers you.
WE should all turn our Memorial, 4th of July etc. into small fundraisers to support and create new programs to help shell shocked and PTSD veterans make the transition back into civilian life a more successful and positive one. What is happening now is a total failure on all our parts. We wave the flag and thank them for their service and then drop the ball and forget them. We need to vow to make this change because the government has not been successful in this area.
Wow, that is a really great idea!
hmmmm how about....ten percent of the profit from every mattress set, car or bedroom set that is sold during a memorial day, fourth of July or Verterans day sale be donated toward rehabilitation of the young men and women that have given up so much for us....
Hmmmm how about....ten percent of the profit from every mattress set, car or bedroom set that is sold during a memorial day, fourth of July or Verterans day sale be donated toward rehabilitation of the young men and women that have given up so much for us....
I feel like this is the sort of counseling that should happen BEFORE they end up in jail...
Most Vets know the right answers to the questions when they are being evaluated so they can avoid being labelled a problem and it's never investigated further.
A lot of vets do not realize what is happening to them. All vets should be evaluated prior to discharge back into civilian life. Not that would catch everyone and everything but at least let the vet know there are programs available at the VA and how to recognize symptoms of PTSD
Close down the VA hospitals and jail those who really need help and can survive. I have vet Friends who need simple medical attention and are constantly put through the run around. No where to go, limited income and many without transportation. The system has failed.
Police services normally run new officers through 2-3 years of jail duty before released to the streets. They develop this bad disposition about people in general. Then we read about the rest in our newspapers.
Like all ideas from frisco and California, stupid or nuts.
Its a small step but one that has happened way too late. The amount of combat veteran suicides are over 50% of the amount of combat related deaths since these wars began. I think that the country that has sent us (the soldiers) to war should be prepared for our return and have plans in place to assist with combat related issues (PTSD, etc.) Look after those that gave you the blanket of security you sleep under at night!
A lot of people entering the military are already deeply troubled individuals. As much as I hate war, let's not blame everything on combat stress or PTSD.
All I know is when we came back you all said we lost the war and you wanted us to just go away. You want us to fight your wars and keep you safe but after that you have no use for us. You was us to be normal, no matter what we have seen or what we had to do to keep you safe and us alive. Yea just lock us up in a cage. Up until 2 years ago I never put down that I was a vet or that I had been in Vietnam. Well most of the guys that needed your help are dead and gone and soon it will be my turn and I am looking forward to it. I hope to see my brothers and sisters. Just remember Vietnam, where my brothers and sisters died for your sins, not theirs. Funny think is as I am writing this I realize it is just a waist of time but I guess it is more for me than for you. May God bless and take care of our Vets because you will not.
Geno, my late husband also was a Viet Nam vet. To this day I am still furious about the way those who ran this country, the media, and a certain segment of our society have treated the forgotten warriors of that time. It breaks my heart. Thank you, Geno, and thank all of you who so valiantly served in Viet Nam. God bless you.
Geno: It's a little late, but welcome back to the world, bro. Been there, endured that, had to put up with the same s%^t you did when I came home. What do I think of the never wents and the never serveds? Bleep 'em. They don't count for nothin'. If I met you on the street, and found out about you, we'd talk for a while, and if I could, I'd buy you a beer, and have one with you. And we'd talk some more. "We fought their lousy foreign wars, to only be treated like sons of whores." (from a poem I wrote some years ago) Sometimes people wonder why we seem to be stand-offish, and keep to ourselves. It's the only way we feel safe. Those who haven't been there have no idea wha it's like. And they don't really want to understand, although they protest that they do.
We had war in our time in the hope that our children wouldn't have to have war. But our leaders have failed us, and continue to. So we still have to endure wars. Let's put our leaders' sons and daughters on the front lines. Let's put them in danger of being shot, or blown up. That might get their parents' attention, and perhaps help stop some of this idiocy. But let me stop. I could rant on and on, but it's late, and I still want to welcome you back to the world, and to simply spend some time in your company. Perhaps it might improve me. Welcome home, GI.
It's worth a try.
Finally, some one saw the light at the end of the tunnel! Thank You San Francisco County for assisting vets return to "normal" life. It shows you have recognized the problem and are at least trying to do something our military won't do, retrain vets. I hope your program works and I pray vets take advantage of the opportunity.
You have no clue! God forbid the individual have to be responsible for themselves and take advantage of and go to college using tuition assistanace while or the GI Bill they earned while on active duty, entitlements to VA benefits and treatment facilities for those who "really" earned it and not the criminals that were discharged and lost their benefits. Yes, way to go SF, for buying into that criminal bs before you figure out a criminal will lie to you and feed you all the crap you can eat.
Recidivism is with us forever. Trying to rehab violent offenders and druggies doesn't work worth a darn.
That is the reality for such offenders.
I have a real problem with this article saying these men were taught to 'solve problems with violence', the only training in that respect was to deal with a violent situation that was brought TO them and come out alive. It also doesnt make the connection that the percentage of soldiers who have violent drug or alcohol related issues is about the same percentage as those who have never served. This article is so insular in its perspective of the military it shouldnt have been given the time of day, but since its out there, I for one want any vets or active duty personell out there to know I support them wholeheartedly and understand what a biased, anti military piece of garbage this little bit of propaganda really is. There are literally millions of soldiers out there who live productive and happy lives, how about some stories about them and their perspective on life after active duty service?
I think if a vet need the help we need to give it to them, I for one served 3 tours to Iraq, 1 to Afghanistan, I wasn't a Fobbit, I put some of my best friends into airmeds to never see again, held my young troops hands as they move into fiddler Green, yes I have dreams at night not because of who I Killed but for those I lost, so to hear so many of these Vets say they didn't know is Bull@!$%#, everyone has received a predeployment screening and a post. so to say I slapped my Girlfriend around, put the needle in my arm is just a lazy excuse to keep from taking responsibility for their actions. yes the VA may be slow but you know go to your local hospital and tell them your a vet and need help or mental health treatment and I guarantee they will know how to get you to the nearest VA for help. To all my Brother out there I'll stand on the wall with you anyday.
what about when you do go to the hospital and ask for help and the dr's that are supposed help you send you out in worse shape than when you got there. i asked for help and when i got there they called me their hero and when i was discharged the dr told me that she didn't care that i was going to be homeless and without money. all the mental health drs at palo alto hospital care about is that their record show that they're moving the patients out of their wards. they've learned how to work with the system and that's all they care about. two vets have killed themselves because the drs at palo alto mental health just pushed them out on the street not caring what their conditon was just so they can look good on paper.
fernando p sanchez, Brother There are people out there out for themselves, only those of us that have stood that line together know how it is, please call this number below, do the online chat these are VETS helping VETS those that have stood on the line shoulder to shoulder. if you know others that are having issues give them this number. The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential
Trumped up lies told by another garbage pile politician/cop. These idiots are tracking these veterans down and making a political look good after they cause them to be first homeless by keeping them down, and then forcing them to break the law with anti panhandling and anti vagrancy laws. This sheriff should be taken out of office. Piece of human garbage! Go back to India with your better than thou cast based initiatives. Look at how my heart bleeds for your courageous humanitarian work aimed at helping veterans that you incarcerated! I'm betting there are high levels of illegal immigrant mexicans and a high average of drug trade in this scumbags precincts.
I hope you are validating what you are supposedly supporting. What you will find is someone that spent time in the military and throw the word Vet in the conversation to play on peoples emotions. Chances are that Vet that ended up in jail is just another thug that was kicked out for the same criminal offenses as you arrested them for. Just being a Vet does not mean you were in combat and suffer from some form of PTSD. In fact, the military has the best support systems available to help those who are impacted by the effects of PTSD. Criminals are criminals and if it makes you feel good about yourself to treat someone different who throws the word Vet around then have fun wasting your resources. I am an 28 year active duty Vet, been to every sh!t hole you can imagine, treated for PTSD twice, take "prescribed medications" to help me be fully functional and yes, some things you experience in a combat zone leave a mark and you never forget. You adapt and learn to control yourself and when you need help you go get it. Don't use being a Vet as an excuse for your criminal behavior because it is demeaning to the rest of us! Pull these peoples records before buying into a criminals BS and you'll see the truth.
You are incorrect, large numbers of vets. came back to find no services from the supossed "best support system available" in our country. There were even Congress hearings about it, so I don't know where you get that notion that we took care of the returning soldiers.
I get it from watching it happen every day! Apparently you have not kept up with the times or been anywhere to see the fruition's of those congressional hearings you speak of... If I had to guess I'd say you have never set foot on a military installation. This is not the Vietnam era, those guys did get screwed!
@jr-1943330 ~ Gee, it's a shame not all us Veterans are as big and tough as you.
Nobody is saying they are tough mrsmla4ever, I suffer every f'n day but I want set around whinning and use it as an excuse to go out and be a criminal then expect everyone to feel sorry for me. If you want to be a common criminal then go for it but don't blame it on your service. Take responsibility for your actions and man-up
I'm not excusing their behavior, clearly their actions were wrong which is why they're in jail. However, I do sympathize for those who aren't as capable of handling their "experiences" as well as others. As a Veteran who has been to unsavory places, you should be a little more sympathetic. Your high and mighty attitude is offensive. I think it is outstanding that the S.F. Sheriff's department didn't just give up on our guys that served their country. They made a huge sacrifice and deserve a chance.
Didn't mean to come off as high and mighty, it's an issue I take close to heart and deal with more often than I would like. My point was and still is, to validate the individuals information before giving everybody the same care. People will lie and the minute they think they can get favorable treatment by saying Vet they will go there. If the people getting care are valid "actual war veterans" and not someone that served but never experienced any type of traumatic experience, then by all means healp them.
Ah I get you. I agree that people like to pull the Vet card when it conveniences them. Being a Veteran is something that I am proud of, not something that I want to use for my own gain. I, too, agree that their should be requirements. For example, the most "combat" I saw during my service was guarding detainees in GTMO; I don't think that qualifies me for special programs. Only those with real combat experience should be eligible. Screening should be fairly simple, just look at their records.
there*
Just because you weren't in a "war zone" doesn't protect you from PTSD. I am a Vietnam veteran who never actually set foot in-country* but to this day I often wake up in the middle of the night with the shakes and sweats. Where was I? I was on-board the USS Midway for 3 1/2 tours as an Aviation Ordnanceman. Handling high explosives 12 hours a day for many weeks at a time tends to have an undesirable effect on your well being. I wasn't the only one on that ship that made the astounding discovery that a little shot of junk makes your life and job just a little bit more manageable. And no,not once in that whole time, did being under "the influence" hamper my ability to do my job in the manner expected of me by my supervisors or in a way that endangered myself or my shipmates. Had it, even once, I would have changed either my duty station or my crutch of choice. Being drunk is,in my opinion, even more dangerous than being high ( down?) because of the effect of the alcohol makes you feel ten feet tall and bullet proof. All of that was to explain why I am still bitter to this day about getting swept under the rug by the VA upon my return stateside. AWWW,he's just a damn junkie,screw him. Yeah? Well it is your stinking,unnecessary war than turned me into a fin' junky you a$$hole!
* The exception being serving for 6 months as an EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) dealing with armed bombs that failed to separate correctly from the aircraft. This was at an airbase in the south country.
Those of us who served "in the zone," be it ship-board on Yankee Station, in rice paddies, in Laos, or out in the friggin' desert, all of us need to take a moment and reflect on what we had to do at the behest of an ungrateful government - and nation, in the case of Viet Nam. Each of us in the high-stress jobs, ordnance man, grunt out in the boonies, SOG troop, etc. likely did develop PTSD to some degree or other. What did/do we get? A bunch of pills for the most part. No counseling to try and make some sense out of what's going on inside our heads. I get better results at my local VFW hall with VFW and DAV guys; every member there has been in a similar situation. Even though we served sometimes generations apart, we can still talk the same language. It does help to sort out your feelings, and make some sense of it all. It might not be a "cure," but it helps. And that's important. Dealing with armed bombs that failed to separate correctly from aircraft? Talk about high stress! No bleeping wonder you had PTSD. My non-existant hat comes off to you, Sir!
Our returning Vets should not be intermingled with the civilian prisoners. They need to be kept seperated and the Government needs to step in and find a way to help them. Why, because they are a Government creation, simple as that.
what about assesing the needs of non-vets behind bars? or are they not worthy because they havent served?
But you wouldn't get a news headline if you did that...
What a new and wonderful approach to the problems some of our veterans are having after serving in these new war zones. As a Veteran of Foreign Wars member we try to help as much as we can but we don't have all the answers or the resources needed to help these veterans. We do try to get them to the services that are offered thru the VA which is sometimes lacking at the levels we need to help them. Good going SF and hopefully other areas of the country can learn from this program even if it can't provide all the answers.