Hope for our Veterans
As we start the week following Veterans Day, I call upon my fellow Americans to reflect on the personal sacrifice each and every Veteran has made to our country. The hard work put in, the physical toll on their bodies, the mental "grit" needed to rally through each day, the time spent away from their families, and sometimes even the biggest sacrifice of all - their own lives. Having served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corp from 1984-1991, I am concerned about the care and well-being of my fellow Veterans.
So many of our Veterans who bravely went off to war and were lucky enough to make it back, have brought with them physical ailments and pains, PTSD, and other mental health issues:
>According to a 2014 study in JAMA Psychiatry, nearly 1 in 4 active duty members showed signs of a mental health condition.
>According to VA's Suicide Data Report, 2012, 22 veterans die by suicide each day, or 8,000 per year. In addition to that staggering statistic, the VA study also recorded 11,000 non-fatal suicide attempts a year.
> According to RAND Corporation, 19% of veterans may have a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
>And also in that study, only about 50% of those with PTSD or depression receive treatment that researchers consider only "minimally adequate" for their illnesses.
America has a pain problem, this we know with the tremendous amounts of pain pills prescribed daily. But let's recognize that so many of our Veterans must deal with pain issues every single day, whether that may be physical pain, emotional, mental or spiritual pain, because of their own personal sacrifices they have made for our country. America has a responsibility to help these men and women deal with the pain in their life, and we must do more. It can start right here in your town. The future Tyler's Redemption Place will make wellness and support services accessible to Veterans who have served our country. With a focus on the whole person: mind, body and spirit, Tyler's Redemption Place will be a place to find healing not only for individuals beginning or in the midst of their recovery journey, but for our Veterans as well. Join us as we work to not only bring hope to Ohio, but also hope to our Veterans as well.
Finally, on behalf of myself and the entire Hope United team, we would like to say THANK YOU to all Veterans. God bless you for your service and God bless America!
