When discussing mental health in the veteran population, the focus is often centered around suicide prevention, given the alarming rates within this community. However, it is crucial to recognize that veteran mental health encompasses more than just this one aspect. A significant factor that greatly impacts the well-being of many veterans is their deep-rooted sense of identity derived from their service to the nation. Understanding this unique aspect is essential to provide effective support to veterans and challenge misconceptions.

Misguided Perceptions and Barriers

For those who haven’t served in the armed forces, comprehending the profound impact of military service on one’s identity can be challenging. This lack of understanding can lead to misguided perceptions and create barriers in veteran treatment. One such example is the assumption that all veterans possess firearms, are prone to violence, and require extra precautions during interactions. It’s important to dispel these preconceptions to ensure veterans receive the support they need.

Diverse Military Roles

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of the veteran population did not engage in direct combat operations or handle firearms extensively during their time in uniform. Only a small portion of America’s armed forces are directly involved in combat. The majority of military personnel serve in crucial support roles, ensuring the overall functioning and success of the military and national security.

Dispelling Media Stereotypes

Media, including Hollywood, often perpetuates a specific image of military members, portraying every soldier as an Army Ranger, every sailor as a Navy SEAL, every airman as a pilot, and every Marine as a member of Force Recon. This narrow portrayal disregards the vast diversity of military roles and experiences. It is essential to recognize that sensationalizing military experiences can pressure veterans into conforming to these stereotypes, diminishing the significance of their individual contributions to the military’s overall operation.

The Value of Every Military Experience

It is important to acknowledge that every veteran’s lived experience as a member of the armed forces is unique and valuable. Regardless of their specific duties, whether it involved firing machine guns, jumping out of airplanes, providing support services, or maintaining the logistical aspects of military operations, every individual’s military experience contributes to the overall success of the military. Each veteran’s story holds triumphs, failures, good times, and bad, and it is through the collective efforts of all veterans that the military remains operational.

Understanding the complexities of veteran mental health requires moving beyond the focus solely on suicide prevention. Through our recognition of the profound sense of identity derived from military service and dispelling misconceptions surrounding veterans, we can provide better support and care. Every veteran’s story is unique, and each individual’s contribution to the military is valuable. By honoring their experiences and identities, we can truly appreciate the sacrifices they have made to keep our nation safe.

Thankfully, mental health concerns among veterans have gained more attention and have been taken more seriously in recent years. Disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression are some of the most highly broadcasted mental health issues regarding veterans, popularized, though not always accurately depicted, by many films and television shows. However, other mental health disorders can also affect veterans, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI), substance use, anxiety, insomnia, and more. Like any community, veterans are not a one-size-fits-all group. Their experience changes based on what branch they served in, the time period in which they served, their background prior to joining the military, and many other factors.

Whether a veteran in your life is a close friend, beloved family member, or perhaps a coworker or new acquaintance, you want to support them, but you also don’t want them to feel othered, meaning feeling as though they are inherently different or isolated. Ask them what their service meant to them, but don’t assume that they’re always ready and willing to talk about their service. If you are not sure if they want to talk about their experiences, it is okay to ask them if you can ask some questions, but also respect their wishes if they tell you they would rather not talk about it. Veterans are people, and by engaging them with respect and compassion, we can help create a more welcoming environment.

To better support a veteran with their mental health, it helps to have a better understanding of the causes, symptoms, and treatments of some of the most common disorders for veterans. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), has helpful resources to teach you more about suicide, depression, PTSD, TBI, and anxiety.

5 Ways You Can Support Veterans’ Mental Health | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

If a veteran you know is struggling with their mental health, reach out to them. Let them know you care about their well-being and that they don’t have to suffer in silence. Support is available for them in their community. Have community resource information available to give them. Jefferson Center offers veteran and military family services, providing confidential counseling to help with mental health disorders, substance use disorders, life after the military, healing from military sexual trauma (MST), transitioning from homelessness, and more. Click the link below to learn more about Jefferson Center’s services and programs available to veterans and military families.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR VETERANS & MILITARY FAMILY SERVICES

Our military service taught us and molded us in multiple ways. We know how to work hard, learn difficult things quickly, and make difficult decisions with incomplete information. But we also learned not to stick out. There is a reason we wore camouflage uniforms. We all looked the same, which reminded us that we were all small parts of something much bigger than ourselves. Drawing attention to yourself is just distracting from more important things.

We are good at hiding: our observation posts from the bad guys, our fears from our battle buddies and families, and ourselves from the Sergeant looking for young soldiers sleeping in the barracks when they are supposed to be cleaning their vehicles. We did these things because they kept us safe.

We learned to protect and focus on others. That’s both good and bad

For some veterans, these now-innate abilities can cause problems. Think of the veteran who discloses to her doctor that she has nightmares about Afghanistan three times a week because she doesn’t want to take a referral that could go to a veteran “who really needs it.” There is also the veteran experiencing homelessness who didn’t mention his service in the Gulf War when asked by the police officer checking in on him because he is embarrassed by the “fake veterans” panhandling at intersections with signs proclaiming military service. And the Khe Sanh veteran who became one of the “20-a-day” lost to suicide because he believed asking for help somehow made him less of a Marine.

There are many veterans who could use some serious help. We offer that at Jefferson Center 720-826-4283). But please don’t forget most veterans aren’t hiding on the margins of society. We are your neighbor. In your yoga group. Teaching your kids. Giving you a ticket on Wadsworth when you were only going 6 miles over the speed limit.

We’ve done great things. We are doing greater things and will continue to do so. We generally don’t spend all our time hanging out in our dens looking at old military mementos like they are prized trophies. If we do, that’s where you, our members of the community, can help. We don’t want the spotlight and don’t want to be your “veteran neighbor/ friend/ yoga teacher.” Continuing to have a purpose, whatever our individual paths, keeps us going.

How You Can Make a Difference…That Matters

Introduce us to your buddy looking to hire an experienced mechanic with a track record of high performance in high-stress situations. Share the flyer from your kid’s school about the need for math tutors or mentors. We don’t see ourselves as “heroes.” Hiding in plain sight is more comfortable.

But Veteran’s Day is different. Hopefully, you were able this last weekend to heap on that praise and serve it with a side of free cheeseburgers, BBQ, or coffee. Please remember, the veterans in your community–of all eras–appreciate your good intentions, but not at the cost of living in the spotlight. That’s a lonely place to be. Instead, welcome us as valuable members of the community who have both strengths and challenges. That’s how you can directly help in a way that matters most to us.

Carl LoFaro is the former manager of Veteran and Military Family Services at the Jefferson Center. He served in the Army and deployed to Iraq as a member of a Combat Stress Team. He has been working with the military and veterans for 10 years and is passionate about assisting communities to be welcoming places for Veterans to come.

It’s been a few years since you were in the service and your hair is a little longer, you wake up a little later, and you’ve probably called in to skip work once or twice because you just didn’t feel like going in. You’ve got a new routine that doesn’t include missing birthdays and holidays every other year or shaving every day whether you need it or not. Perhaps you’ve started school or a new career and you go to the lake every other weekend like you promised yourself during those long nights in the guard tower during your second deployment. Maybe your stress disappeared when you drove out the gates of Fort Stewart or Camp Lejeune and you’ve never had a bad day since.

For some of us veterans, life after the military has been the magical honeymoon that exceeded the wildest daydreams we ever had while waiting for the commander to deliver the Friday afternoon safety brief. I’ve never met any of these men and women, have you?

Life is challenging. Stress exists. No different in civilian life than when you wore the uniform. It’s hard to avoid. What you can do is make sure you are as prepared as you can be to cope with it. We can all benefit from repurposing some of the stress reduction techniques that served us well in the military:

1. PT (yes, even the Air Force did it) – We don’t need to do a log run at 6:30 in the morning or sit-ups to see the physical and mental benefits of exercise. A 20-minute walk during your lunch hour a few times a week will do wonders for your mood.
2. Hanging out at the smoke pit – OK, this writer DOES NOT recommend smoking. You worked so hard to kick that habit. Instead, spend some time away from your duties to socialize in an informal setting. Whether it’s the water cooler, the student lounge, or leaning on your lawnmower and talking to your neighbor: Just Do It.
3. MRE masterpieces – Remember the soldier who could turn some vegetable crackers, cocoa powder, and hot sauce into 5-star experience? That’s called “mastery.” What is your “mastery?” If you know, spend more time doing it. If not, figure it out and spend time doing it.
4. Letters from Home – Whether it was Basic Training or a deployment, mail call was often the best part of our day or week. Seeing that someone cared enough about you to write you a real letter was a big deal. Send some letters, get some back, repeat.

The point here is this—as memorable or as tough as some of the times we faced were, we needed each other and we depended on each other. We did it together. We lived our motto of nobody left behind. We still do. Some of you might not be coping with civilian life as well as you’d like. You and your family know that.

A skilled professional like your Staff Sergeant (with that huge mustache that went out of style in the ‘70’s) can impart some useful wisdom when you need it most. Like when he told you you’re going to be learning something new. We will get you the tools you need to succeed, you’re not alone.  You took the lessons you learned from that guy and applied them going forward. Same can be said about working with a counselor. Meet with a professional for a time, learn some things, practice them on your own time, and Continue Mission.  Call our Veterans and Military Families team at 303-432-5054 for more information.