Obstacles to Life After Combat: Part 1
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or in this case, was it the troubled veteran with the bad attitude, or was it the lack of concern and attention given the veteran when he arrived at the VA Medical Center for medical care? Are the members of the health care community providing care for our veterans and truly welcoming those who step forward to admit they may have Post Traumatic Stress?
I’m not a gambler, but if I had to place all my eggs in one basket, I would place my bet that it is the system that is at fault. There can’t be any other reason for VA employees to have such bad attitudes and treat our veterans with such negative behavior. I’ve heard far too many veterans share their stories of heartache, humiliation, frustration, and rejection that they experienced during an appointment at the VA. I’ll admit that I have heard some positive stories, but I believe they make up less than 10% of what has been told to me.
Because of my role within Military Missions Inc., I have been working with our local VA here in Lexington, Kentucky, for a few years. We give financial support on a regular basis to some of the programs offered to the veterans learning to live with PTSD, but one of the main goals I had when we started supporting our veterans through the VA was to establish a way to create a relationship between the veterans and our organization’s members. I want our veterans to know that they are appreciated and we are here to support them.
