Doing the right thing by our vets

   They answered the call. Now they need to be heard.

   Veterans Day was a reminder of the sacrifice made by so many on America's behalf. Thousands of veterans of the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars have come back emotionally damaged. I wrote today about Tonawanda's Denise Simmance, whose son Chris returned from the Middle East a broken man. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that fed a downward spiral of drinking, broken relationships and job loss.

   Despite several suicide attempts, his treatment by an overstressed Veterans Administration system is heavy on medication and light on spirit-healing counseling. Critics say that this is typical for emotionally damaged vets across the country, who need far more psychological counseling than they are getting. I think we need to repay our debt to them by making sure they get the care they need.

   -- Donn Esmonde

Comments

[HapKlein]

Prior to our invasion of Iraq the Army Chief of Staff General Shinseki testified before the Congress that to do a proper job at least 400,000 troops would be required. The Bush machine promptly pushed him from the service.

I hope the next administration begins by correcting the reckless course begun by those actions. The armed services of this nation are now in peril by overloading them with recurring tours of duty to exceptional stressful types of combat.

The Bush administration failed to correctly assess the magnitude of fighting two wars with inadequate troops and now many of the troops and their families are suffering and feel abandoned by the nation.

I can’t believe that somewhere in the past six years that someone in the upper reaches of government could not realize the enormity of this wrong and take massive and immediate steps to correct it.

Now, of course like most of the other problems left by ineptness, it will be left to President Obama to have to try to remedy a festering problem.

[Camino Reality]

Put politics aside when it comes to injured veterans coming home.

The issue is that every veteran deserves the same if not better care given to a Congressman or the President of the United States.

Those with PTSD must be treated much better. These men and women served their country and risked their lives and consequently require debriefing and medical help of the highest standards.

Let's get a veteran bail out package going like that provided to banks and auto makers.

[Buffalo Libertarian]

The military should not be allowed to discharge these people and should be required to treat them. When I was stationed on a ship in Japan back in 1981-1983, there was a commercial on Armed Forces Television saying "The Air Force takes care of its own." It's time for the entire military to step up to the plate and take care of its own instead of booting them out of the service.

[Observer]

Well let's see now what level of priority the new President will put with our soldiers. Probably very low on his list way past the welfare unwed moms, school systems paying inflated pension packages and all the well paid politians living on the public dole. Yep. Our soldiers aren't the squeaky wheel.

[Rick]

I read Chris Simmance story and it reminded of my own story some 40 years ago. I am a disabled veteran of the Vietnam War, and some 40 years ago I still have bad times. The VA has placed me out to pastor meaning nothing more they can do for me. My PTSD will never leave me nor will my War experiences. What I can say to Chris is reach out to other Vets but the key is how do you cope with PTSD. For some its attending rap groups at their local vet centers or hanging around vets organizations and some get involved with helping other veterans cope with their issues. Whatever Chris will choose its up to him to make that decision however, Chris stop drinking, stop feeling sorry for your self, place your experiences into perspective, and decided your going to handle your life a little better then you are now.

There is no cure treatment for PTSD. Our brains went through some major changes while in combat, and no matter who tells you veterans can't change that. You will never be that person you once were before you went into War. Seek out your vet center or go to the Buffalo Vet Center and ask for Rick Jones or Huston Crum.

[Denise]

We need to stop sending our children to war. We raise them to love one another, get along, work out their differences, and then expect them to abandon those very principles blindly in the name of defending freedom. This world is filled with people of different beliefs, tenets, and morals, and to try and insist that they all live under our system of beliefs is insane. The cost is the mental well being of people like my son, like the Viet Nam vet who will never be whole again. War is wrong. Period. End of story. Mothers need to stop giving their children up for sacrifice to a cause that may not be what the rest of this world really wants in the first place.

[Karen]

Its obscene, that we have stories like this. Our vets, whether or not they saw action, whether or not they served in wartime, deserve the best care this country has to offer.

[Observer]

Don't worry Denise not all soldiers were "sent" to war. Many volunteered so you can say what you like about your feelings freely. As they say "freedom is not free" and there are many foreigners who would like to prevent Americans from having what they have and living freely as they do. Many countries have people who live in constant fear. While I believe the government has sorely let down all our veterans, I can assure you that many of our volunteered as well as drafted soldiers would still do the same and sacrifice the same so you can enjoy protecting your brood from all the evils out there.

[Reader in Tonawanda]

Denise should be applauded for sharing her family's story with us. My Father suffered from PTSD after coming home from Vietnam. He had issues with this for years and years and still deals with it to some degree today. Unfortunately, her family has a long hard struggle ahead of them. Their story, is the all too common story, we see and read about every day. It's sad that we live in a country that can't even take care of the very men and women who serve to protect us. Observer is correct when he commented "Freedom is not free", but should it come at the price of our son's and daughters?

[armywife]

everyone seems to think that all of our soldiers are 18?? go to any website that posts the dead and you will see that the average age of the lost soldier is well above that. People tend to forget that nearly half(more than?) all deployed soldiers are reservists, well above the age of 18 or 21 and surely not some ones son, but rather someones father, husband, and even possibly grandfather. They are not children, and yes, they have chosen to serve. The bottom line problem is that the VA system is overwhelmed and unable to cope with the number of mental health issues coming their way. Its not that they DON'T want to it's that they CAN"T. The are simply understaffed. There is NO stigma attached to ANY mental health issue in the military today. A soldier only needs to ask. Navigating the system is the problem. All soldiers qualify for benefits, none are "discharged" or "kicked out". PTSD is very difficult to treat, in any population, civilian or Army, its only complicated by the types of issues the army patient may have. all take time. Thankfully though, yet not reported in this article, the MAJORITY of our soldiers DO NOT come back broken, but proud to have served. This article, while compelling, tells only part of a story.

[Camino Reality]

Post Tramatic Stress Disorders have not been dealt with adequetly for war upon war in this country.

My grandfather in WWI killed a lot of Germans and saw a lot of WNY's killed and injured under his command. He came home to Buffalo and were basically told to suck it up. This is still going on today for our combat vets. Handing out pills is not enough.

Do the right thing for our soldiers and vets, their families, the USA and this community and provide each and everyone of them with the best medical care available. Intervene for their health and safety when they return home from war.

[Boycott Dunkin Donuts (Lockport)]

Several days ago, a relative of mine approached the owner of the
> LockportDunkin Doughnuts and asked if he could place a memorial flier
> for PFC.
> Albert Jex on the door. The owners' response was to place the flier on

> the dumpster where the rest of our soldiers belong.
>
> For those of you who do not know, "Albert Jex, 23, is the first
> Lockportnative killed in the war in Iraq. He was one of four soldiers
> who died of wounds suffered when an explosive device blew up near
> their vehicle on Feb.
> 9 in Mosul, Iraq. Albert was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th
> CavalryRegiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort
> Hood, Texas."
> (US&J)
>
> I'm obviously offended by this, being a soldier from a military family

> and all.