Demanding environments that leave images of human carnage, shrills of horror and the stench of burned flesh transforms a healthy mind into one that desperately needs help.
In a 2003 report, Veteran Affairs (VA) in the U.S. reported that 81% of veterans had a serious psychiatric or substance abuse disorder. 33% suffered from both. Although accurate numbers are difficult to verify, the VA estimates that nearly 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night, 42 % of those served in Vietnam.
Kathie Costos, an IFOC Senior Ordained Chaplain has spent twenty-five years of her life dedicated to helping those American servicemen and women who fought for freedom and democracy. Ms. Costos states: “Veterans are misdiagnosed as being alcoholic or drug addicts, but the truth is they are not addicted to the chemicals.” She says that veterans are seeking relief from the pain that combat has left them with. Ms. Costos also says that many veterans are treated as addicts without getting to the root of the real problem, post traumatic stress disorder.
Veteran homelessness and addictions for many go hand-in-hand. Some of those end up as suicide statistics. On November 15, 2007 Timesonline reported that 6,256 US Veterans committed suicide in 2005. An interesting comparison is that 3,863 Americans lost their lives in military combat in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.
Incarcerated Veterans
According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans report that veterans in State prisons reported higher levels of alcohol abuse and lower levels of drug abuse than other prisoners. Nearly 60% of incarcerated veterans had driven drunk in the past compared to 45% of other inmates. Veterans in state prisons were less likely (26%) than other inmates (34%) to report using drugs at the time of their offense.
Canadian Veterans Are Affected Too
In February 2008, The Canadian Press reported that the number of former soldiers suffering from PTSD and substance abuse has more than tripled since troops were first deployed to Afghanistan. With Canada's involvement in Afghanistan is to continue until 2011, the numbers are expected to get worse.
Retired Col. Pat Stogran is on a fact finding tour for his Leave Nobody Behind campaign. He is determined to help veterans whose challenges include substance abuse, homelessness and mental health issues. Although there are no statistics available as their American counterparts, Stogran hopes to get a handle on it before veterans from the Afghanistan era end up with addictions and homelessness.
What Can You Do?
This Remembrance Week, November 5th to 11th, be sure to give generously to the Poppy Campaign. If you know of a veteran who is in need of assistance then reach out and help him or her. In Canada, call the Ombudsman at 1-877-330-4343.
In the US, donations to the National Coalition for Homelessness Veterans are always welcomed. Call 1-800-838-4357. If you know of a veteran who is in serious crisis, have them call the VA Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
On November 11, not only give time to reflect on the fallen soldiers who unselfishly gave their lives for us, give thanks to a veteran and pray for those who are in constant battle against addictions and post traumatic stress disorder.
As Senator Obama stated in a speech on May 12, 2008, “What must unify us as Americans is an unyielding commitment to the men and women who served this nation and an unshakable fidelity to the ideals for which they risked their lives. Without that commitment many of us would not have been here today and I am one of those people.”
Further Reading: Armistace Day in Canada
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