It’s someone around you. Someone you sit next to at work or school or church. Your neighbor. The person in front of you in the store.
Or the homeless guy you see every day as you go to work. PTSD can happen to anyone. But it happens to veterans returning from combat in higher numbers than we may realize.
Between 10 and 31 percent of veterans returning from combat suffer from PTSD.
Only 50 percent of those vets and others with associated mental health issues get treatment.
What can we do to help? Hire and mentor a vet if you can. Joblessness is a huge problem for many veterans.
And donate to any of the various worthy programs that assist veterans.
Will You See One Vet? is a program you may not have heard of yet. It’s a program to help veterans in need get the dental care they can’t get from the Veterans Administration.
Dental care isn’t high on the priority list for a troubled and/or homeless veteran. But dental care affects our general health in bigger ways than we might think.
In 2016, two million people visited emergency rooms across America for dental related issues.
If you’re a dentist, you can volunteer at the website linked above. If you’re not, you can donate.
Veterans give so much for us. Here’s a way to give something back this Veterans Day.
So grateful for all veterans have done to me. It’s the least we can do to say thank you and help them, too.
Thanks, Jessica. It’s certain that we don’t do enough. God bless!
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Julie! God bless!
Thank you to all who serve, have served and will serve. My family has many veterans. We appreciate all who serve to keep us safe.
We do, indeed, Melissa! Thanks and God bless!
Thank you for sharing! My father and dad are Marines and my niece and her husband both serve in the airforce. I so appreciate the men and women who fight for our freedom!
They certainly deserve our appreciation and support. God bless, Candice. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing these practical tips! This is definitely a conversation that people have without ever really putting action to it. Hopefully this spurs people (myself included!) to help out the veterans we see around us!
So true, Emily! We do need to look out for those in need–especially those around us–and especially those who’ve given so much of themselves on our behalf. Thanks and God bless!
Nancy, Some people really don’t understand the consequences of neglecting dental health. My own Dad died because in his older years he thought it was stupid to spend money on the dentist. He died of sepsis that started in his gums. For veterans who may be in financial need, it would be understandable that some might think like my Dad. This assistance is a good idea.
I’m so sorry to hear what happened to your dad, Beth. Thanks so much for your input. God bless!
You have a compassionate heart, Nancy. Thank you for sharing these tips for helping veterans.
Thank you, Melinda. God bless!