Veterans are not just a group of people who join wars to protect their country, but they are also a group of people with many unseen struggles that they persistently try to overcome. Duane Krueger is a veteran who was interviewed about his experiences in the Navy. Kruger decided to join the military after he graduated from high school and chose to be part of the Navy. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War until 1971. After his military journey, Krueger started a new job as an officer at the Veterans Services located in the Anoka County. In honor of veterans, it is important to consider the health problems that they undergo from the war, the Korean War veterans that are not honored by the country, and the role of the Veterans Services. …show more content…
Nissen explains in the article, “Mental health disorders are common in other military populations than the GWVs. Evaluated on the basis of standardized, self-administered screening instruments, the prevalence of symptoms of mental disorder was nearly 20% among U.K. and 15.6 to 17.1% among U.S. veterans returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns” (Nissen, e1678). This explains that the prevalence of the symptoms of mental health disorders are usually higher in veterans compared to the general population. Veterans are more likely to be diagnosed with mental health disorders because of the hardships they experienced during the course of the war. Thus, they oftentimes have difficulty coping with many things after returning from the war. Mental health disorders have a long-term impact on a veteran’s life because it could potentially lead to other health conditions. As a Veterans Services officer, Krueger also talked about how the claims that he often filed were commonly associated with mental health disorders and other physical disabilities. Krueger later explained in his interview, “Then we can look at filing claims for things like hearing loss …show more content…
Moreover, knowing the role of the Veterans Services is crucial to understand how it assists the veterans and their families. The Veteran Affairs Office explains, “Veterans of the United States armed forces may be eligible for a broad range of programs and services provided by the VA. Eligibility for most VA benefits is based upon discharge from active military service under other than dishonorable conditions, and certain benefits require service during wartime” (Office, VA Web Solutions). Not only that the veterans are able to receive a wide range of benefits, but the programs that the Veterans Services provides also improved the lives of veterans with disabilities and health problems. In order to receive benefits, however, veterans must be honorably discharged from their military duty. The Veterans Services offer health care programs, burial and memorials, and financial aids for eligible service members. As part of his job, Krueger states, “Our efforts are directly related to securing state and mainly federal benefits that are benefits to veterans and their families through the federal government or the state government” (Krueger). The main goal of Veterans Services is to make sure every veteran is able to get what they need to get and providing aid. In assisting the veterans, the Veterans Services also have the ability to file claims for the veterans. The
The mission statement of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is, “To fulfill President Lincoln's promise ‘To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan’ by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s vete...
For a school project we interviewed veterans and reflected on those interviews, I gained a better understanding of how to answer the question: why are veterans important to us. Veterans remind us of the horrors of war, of the innocent lives that were lost, and the millions of people those lost lives affected. Each of those veterans that we see has served our country fighting not only for our rights but also for the rights of those across the world. They chose to leave their families, jobs, and life back home to go and make sure that those human rights were being maintained across the world. That sacrifice of leaving everything behind is mind blowing.
The Vietnam War caused many U.S. soldiers to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, so when is the war over, is it really over? For soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, the war may not ever be over. Doctors are on the peak of finding treatments for the ones affected by PTSD and how to prevent it from occurring or even helping them to recover from PTSD has major affects on Vietnam soldiers, their family members and today’s society.
Veterans have struggles with their civilian life after separating from the U.S Armed Forces. Returning to the civilian life seem to be a big challenge for veterans who have no prior job’s skills for civilian life because they had been influenced from military’s training, have physical and psychological damage.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), originally associated with combat, has always been around in some shape or form but it was not until 1980 that it was named Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and became an accredited diagnosis (Rothschild). The fact is PTSD is one of many names for an old problem; that war has always had a severe psychological impact on people in immediate and lasting ways. PTSD has a history that is as long and significant as the world’s war history - thousands of years. Although, the diagnosis has not been around for that long, different names and symptoms of PTSD always have been. Some physical symptoms include increased blood pressure, excessive heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, nausea, diarrhea, problems with vision, speech, walking disorders, convulsive vomiting, cardiac palpitations, twitching or spasms, weakness and severe muscular cramps. The individual may also suffer from psychological symptoms, such as violent nightmares, flashbacks, melancholy, disturbed sleep or insomnia, loss of appetite, and anxieties when certain things remind them such as the anniversary date of the event (Peterson, 2009).
As men and women serve this country we often forget the importance of what they did and how we give back to them for what they have experienced. Through student surveys that have been gathered, it has been proven in the course of knowledge that 80% of all thirty students surveyed that say they know of someone who is or was a veteran and only 57% of those Veterans receive help. Richelle E. Goodrich stated, “Have you ever stopped to ponder the amount of blood spilt, the volume of tears shed, the degree of pain and anguish endured, the number of noble men a...
“Factors Affecting Health Care” (50-55) Demonstrates the sacrifices and how difficult it is for veterans to receive healthcare from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Seal, Karen H., Daniel Bertenthal, Christian R. Miner, Saunak Sen, and Charles Marmar. "Bringing the War Back Home: Mental Health Disorders Among 103 788 US Veterans Returning From Iraq and Afghanistan Seen at Department of Veterans Affairs Facilities." Archives of Internal Medicine 167.5 (2007): 476-82. Print.
One of the most serious problems facing all veterans today is the lack of proper healthcare. Soldiers, sailors and airmen are leaving active duty without having proper healthcare to cover their physical or mental injuries. The department responsible for veteran’s healthcare is the Department of Veterans Affairs. (VA) According to The department of Veterans Affairs website, “The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is responsible for administering programs of veterans’ benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. The benefits provided include disability compensation, pension, education, home loans, life insurance, vocational rehabilitation, survivors’ benefits, medical benefits and burial benefits. It is administered by the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs.” The VA, who was formerly called the Veterans Administration, was established 21 July 1930, to consolidate and coordinate government activities affecting war veterans. The VA encompassed the functions of the former U.S. Veterans' Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. On 25 October 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation creating a new federal Cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs to replace the Veterans Administration effective 15 March 1989 (V.A.)
In 1636 the “Pilgrims passed a law which stated that disabled soliders would be supported by the colony.” (VA History) This paved the way for veterans’ benefits and healthcare. It wasn’t until 1811 that the federal government authorized the first medical and domiciliary facilities along with benefits and pensions for the veterans and their families. When the United States entered World War 1 in 1917, Congress created a new system for veterans’ benefits such as disability compensation, insurance, vocational rehabilitation. These benefits were directed by three different agencies in the Federal Government, these branches were the Veterans Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. Ten years later congress authorized the president to “consolidate and coordinate Government activities affecting war veterans”; this action united the three component agencies into bureaus under the veterans’ administration. In the following six decades there were vast increases in the veteran population, and new benefits enacted by congress for veterans following Wo...
Our soldiers not only risked life and limb for our country while serving in the Vietnam War, but they continue to suffer immensely. Americans as well as Vietnamese troops and civilians suffered great losses when it comes to casualties. Witnessing first-hand the pain and death of strangers and allies, isn’t something one is likely to forget. Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been one of the many repercussions of witnessing these gruesome events (Mental Health America). Veterans, their families, and the government have come together in combat in attempts to address the detrimental effects of PTSD.
Introduction When people think of the term veteran it is usually associated with the idea of sacrifice. They see veterans of the United States military as our heroes and believe they should be treated as so. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is in charge of assisting veterans and their families with benefits such as health care, employment, life and home insurance, and education. However, veterans are not receiving everything they are promised and the best care possible. The truth is, veterans are put on waiting lists and denied benefits on a regular basis.
There have been multiple programs implemented by the federal government to remedy these problems, but these ‘improvements’ have actually hindered veterans in their efforts to obtain adequate health care. All of these problems hinder the care of physical injuries, while the mental health of these vets remains a secondary
The initial refinement of my question required me to sift through all of my ideas. I brain stormed and noted all the topics with in the military I could think of so I had multiple options to explore. I enjoyed the small amount of research I made around mental health and that is why I chose to make it my research project topic instead of photography or automotive which I had looked into before. I found research to do with the military and mental health fascinating and interesting. Some of the questions I thought about were to do with mental health within the military.
A few weeks ago I had an amazing opportunity to attend a seminar that informed me about issues that are taking place within our military. During the Thank you for Your Service presentation there was a video screening followed by a panel discussion. This seminar was very informative to me because I was not aware of all the services that our active military members and veterans need and are not receiving. As a student studying social work this presentation made want to be able to work with our veterans to help get them the resources that they need, and as an American I felt sadden at the fact that our men and women who are coming home from war do not receive help or information that will allow them to readjust to life after war.