How can we help veterans with PTSD? Listen to them

For the typical American family, any personal connection to a veteran grows more distant with each passing year. According to the Pew Research Center, the U.S. veteran population – counting those who are now on active duty or were in the past – has declined dramatically from 45% in 1960 to less than 7% today.

As that percentage continues to diminish, we will continue to lose the extraordinary ability to learn about the actual experiences of veterans. It's the type of knowledge that many of us previously acquired by hearing the stories of family members who had served our country – and who may have fought on wartime battlefields.

This loss of knowledge has had a profound impact on our country, and it can be summed up in a quote commonly attributed to George Washington, our nation's first president:

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”

This sentiment also sums up why it's appropriate to educate all Americans, as best we can, on the past sacrifices that have enabled us to enjoy our unfettered pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.

Ron Flaville, a U.S. Army and Marine Corps veteran who also serves as the CEO for K9 Partners for Patriots in Brooksville, put it well when he said the freedoms we now cherish “aren't guaranteed – and (they) had to be protected by veterans.”

Unfortunately, many veterans remain permanently connected to horrific events that post-traumatic stress disorder will not let them forget. Various studies show that in addition to suffering from a range of physical traumas, veterans who served in recent military conflicts are far more likely to experience PTSD during their lifetimes than counterparts who fought in older wars, including World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars.

For example, 29% of veterans who served during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have experienced PTSD at some point in their lives; meanwhile, 21% of those who served in Operation Desert Storm have also done so.

These percentages for experiencing PTSD are markedly higher than those for veterans who served during World War II or the Korean War – 3% for each conflict – or during the Vietnam War (10%).

Sadly, far too many veterans with PTSD ultimately make the grim choice to commit suicide.

“With mental health, unfortunately, there's still a stigma but less so today,” said Damian Watson, a licensed clinical social worker with K9 Partners for Patriots. “We have to do much more to fully support mental health.”

But there is also a simple thing we can do to show support for our veterans, whether they prefer conversation or silence: Just let them know that we will always – always – have their backs.