WE LOVE OUR TROOPS
WE LOVE OUR TROOPS
That’s a mantra here in America but more and more it seems that this statement only applies when we are recruiting, when we they are out of sight at war and sadly when they have been killed. That in between part is where the LOVE and gratitude should prevail but sadly once the service is complete very little Love is shown.
I am certain many are triggered by my statement. And it is not meant to be disrespectful. It is just a statement of fact. I was breaking down the different groups that feed into the homeless population here in Los Angeles and discovered that 31% of all homeless Veterans are homeless here. It is a rapidly growing group that feed into the unhoused community.
I recently took a road trip from California to Oregon to Washington State where the highways were filled with dedications “Korean War Veterans Highway”, etc. Honoring all that have passed away.
While in Portland, Oregon and struck up a conversation with an Army Veteran who shared his job was to write Propaganda for recruitment. He said it was hard to now be a veteran and see how many of those promises that he helped write are untrue.
I met a Marine who served 12 years and is now a reserve who was one of the last troops out of Afghanistan. He shared that those last 4-5 days in November were the scariest he had ever experienced as they took the communication systems down and had no way to call for help. When he arrived back on American soil, he requested some mental health services because of the horrific images he couldn’t get out of his head aka PTSD and he was turned away. Now, nearly 8 months later, he gets one paid hour of therapy a month from our government.
A few months ago, was helping a homeless Navy Veteran who is wheel chair bound with one leg. Because he is a Veteran, we were able to get his housing request elevated. Unfortunately, after getting approval for 14 days the organization could not find him transportation to the housing. The next day he was taken to the hospital and when I contacted the organization to request, they meet him at the hospital to get him housing I was informed that “he missed his appointment and would have to reapply. When he was back out on the street, I should let them know.” I asked if we could skip that part and connect him with Veterans affairs. Although I was told they would 17 days later, discharged from the hospital, he is now back homeless on the street with no desire to jump through the hoops again.
These few examples of how are Veterans that are post service and still with us are discarded once they have fulfilled the terms of their enlistment.
Another of the groups I have identified are the mentally ill. This is where there is cross over. We require our soldiers to go through basic training to get ready for deployment and service. Why upon their return isn’t there a “reintegration”, “decompression”, exit bootcamp. A few Veterans I have spoken to, as well as my research has shown the Military has a TAPS program to help identify which assignments, they held in the military could transfer to a specific type of work. I once shot some videos for the S.H.A.R.P. programs for Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention for educating the troops and hoping to cut down on the numerous incidents that occur to both women and men during active duty. There are Mental Health services provided and available that is a fact. What is also a fact is that the majority of people, especially tough men who have seen and done unthinkable things, will not voluntarily sign up for therapy.
If there were a mandatory 4-8 week “Exit” program for our soldiers this would help on a few levels. They are still enlisted and live on base for the Exit program and then have 8 weeks of mandatory outpatient therapy. If you were at war 8 weeks and if not 4 weeks.
It could look something like:
1) 8 weeks of Group therapy
2) 8 weeks of individual therapy
3) 8 weeks of PTSD related Art, Songwriting, Creative expression workshops.
4) At week 4 TAPS program for career options / help with disability services if needed
5) 8 weeks Anger management groups (to help prevent Domestic Violence)
6) 8 weeks - 12 step programs offered
7) 5 weeks family therapy (reintegration to the home).
8) Setup Health screenings and Health insurance enrollment options after discharge.
9) Discharged from Active duty after week 8 but 8 additional weeks Mandatory
outpatient (paid) therapy.
This would be an overall benefit to the community at large as we would allow a pause in the lives of our hero’s. These young men and women who were willing to risk their lives for our Country. We owe them at the very, very least an opportunity to have both physical and mental health restored upon completion of their service.
LET’S CREATE POLICY THAT WILL SHOW WE LOVE OUR TROOPS.