State-Journal.com - Vets trying to conquer their fears

He still has nightmares about his time in Afghanistan. He might break down and cry uncontrollably. Sometimes he stays awake for days remembering things that are painful.

He says he understands the forces that may drive a veteran to suicide, which today the Army reports are at a record high.

He’s a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and a member of Frankfort’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4075. He spoke to The State Journal on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

“The thing with the recent suicides is that everyone is different,” he said. “We all did different jobs, and for some, dealing with their experiences is very difficult.”

Across the Army, suicides from January through March rose to a reported 56 – 22 confirmed and 34 still being investigated and pending confirmation. Eleven of the suicides were in Fort Campbell this year, the highest of any post.

The VFW statewide has a mission to ensure veterans know help is available for those who need it.

Carlos Pugh, commander of the Department of Kentucky VFW and a Frankfort resident, has been on a grassroots campaign to spread information to VFW posts throughout the state.

“I travel from district to district and talk to all veterans and let them know that if they’re having problems mentally, there are people out there who can help,” Pugh said.

Pugh wants all Kentucky veterans to know there are VA hospitals nearby in Lexington and Louisville. There are also clinics in all counties to provide assistance to ailing veterans, and the VFW has a 24-hour hotline.

“Help is out there,” Pugh said. “We’ve implored all veterans to seek medical health and get evaluated if they are having trouble dealing with their experiences in war.”

A growing number of veterans have taken the initiative to seek outside assistance for their mental health.

“It’s a big undertaking to get guys to talk about something they don’t want to talk about,” Pugh said.

VFW Post 4075 has the means to assist local veterans dealing with the negative ramifications of wartime combat.

“I’m going to classes and therapy,” said the veteran who spoke to The State Journal.

“Some people don’t want help, but the post has done everything they could to help me. I know there are at least 100 guys who Icould call to get a ride to the VA hospital or just down the road for a pack of cigarettes.”

The biggest hurdle for the VFW is making information readily available.

“The education simply isn’t out there yet,” Pugh said. “The VFW has a national magazine with an article on this issue coming out this month, but mostly we’ve been using word-of-mouth to get the information out there.”

While some veterans may be reluctant to seek therapy, Pugh says that simply talking to other veterans is a crucial step in the recovery process.

“Veterans are more willing to talk to other veterans,” he said. “They can talk about their experiences man-to-man and on an individual basis. More and more volunteer veterans are working with the VA hospitals to talk to other veterans about their experiences.”

VFW national Commander in Chief Glen Gardner says the efforts by the Army and the VA are positive, but the stigma of seeking help makes some soldiers hesitant to say anything.

Gardner asked veterans to meet one-on-one, away from the VFW halls, to provide privacy and try to eliminate real or perceived fears of retribution from either military commanders or civilian employers.

“Everybody that goes to war is affected, some more drastically than others,” Gardner said.

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Want Help?

VFW Post 4075 at 227-2483 is available for veterans who need help. See also vfw.org.