Mental Health Awareness Month

May is mental health awareness month.

Mental health means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. When I think of mental health, the first thing that comes to mind is Veteran mental health. As someone who is both a Veteran and has been diagnosed with Complex PTSD, mental health awareness hits pretty close to home.

For generations, the military solution to mental health was nonexistent even though it has always been there. The military, and its leadership, spent generations not only ignoring the mental health of its members, but actually causing many of those mental health issues. Whether it was sexual assault, depression, suicidal ideations, or PTSD, the military establishment repeatedly ignored the problem, accused those suffering with mental health issues of malingering (or worse), or sometimes exacerbated the problem by causing even more trauma. It was shameful.

The Global War on Terror has lifted the veil on military mental health. Is the military perfect in how they handle it? Far from it. Do the stigmas still exist? Yes. Is the military getting better? Absolutely. Unfortunately, for tens of thousands of Veterans, the damage has already been done. The goal now is to identify those that need help and then get them the treatment they need.

We’ve all heard the “22 Veterans a Day” slogans, referring to Veteran suicide. As much as Veterans of my age and era are at the forefront of that discussion, that number “22” refers to ALL Veterans. Not just combat vets. Not just Iraq and Afghanistan vets. Vietnam, Desert Shield/Storm, Korea, Cold War, you name it. ALL Veterans count in that number and many of them need help.

There are lots of organizations out there trying to help Veterans with basic needs like food and housing. The Veterans Administration plays a huge role in this as well. The tough part is getting Veterans to ACCEPT the help many of them desperately need. It isn’t easy. They need to find their own way and sometimes that way isn’t following a standard path. The VFW and American Legion are great places for Veteran fellowship, which can help alleviate some mental health issues as well as provide Veterans the networks and information to get them help. There are others.

About a year ago, I was introduced to the Phantom Airborne Brigade. It is a group of Veteran Paratroopers that come together and jump out of perfectly good airplanes TOGETHER. But, it is more than that. We spend the day (or multiple days) TOGETHER. We are surrounded by people like us that we can talk to, bond with, and share information. Even one or two days every month or every couple of months can improve our Veterans mental health. I know these events help me. I know they help others.

There are other organizations out there helping Veterans. I was recently introduced to Allen Lynch, Medal of Honor recipient during Vietnam. Al established the Allen J. Lynch Foundation to help Veterans and their families in financial hardship. The Foundation has become successful enough they are now helping OTHER organizations and programs in their efforts to help Veterans. It really is pretty awesome.

So, for those of you who want to help, I recommend you find organizations like Phantom Airborne Brigade (Home of the Phantom Airborne Brigade - Phantom Airborne Brigade) or the Allen J. Lynch Foundation (Allen J Lynch Foundation (ajlynchfoundation.org)) and donate what you can. Maybe it is money. Maybe it is your time. Maybe you have some business connections that could help. Whatever it is, these organizations and ones like them need support.

But, if you are a Veteran and you are struggling, I encourage you to reach out. Find your thing. It may not be the VA. It may not be the VFW. But, there are plenty of options out there. DO NOT try to beat this alone. We all need help sometimes. It’s OK. No matter what it is, your brothers and sisters who also served are there for YOU.

May is about mental health awareness. BE AWARE. People are struggling. BE AWARE. People need help. BE AWARE.

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