Lending a Hand to a Military of One

The kids these days have it easy.

That's what old-timers always say, and the line often holds true: communication is much easier these days, travel is much faster, and children's commute to and from school ne'er takes them uphill both ways in the snow.

But there are also exemptions.

War is war. And no matter how fast technology or invention progress, war is no easier on those whose lives are impacted by it, especially soldiers. While uniforms have changed, guns, gear and equipment have all modernized, and medical treatment and transportation have become more advanced, for American soldiers fighting the “war on terror,” the toll is much the same as it was when troops returned from Vietnam.

Veterans coming back from Iraq or Afghanistan are just like those who returned from past wars. But on the other hand, they will return to an American society that is much different than it was during other conflicts—so say the vets who fought those wars.

“Right now, America supports the military,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Edwards, the Adjutant General of Colorado and executive director of the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs . “There were times when society did not treat vets well. Now, when they return, they will be welcomed home.

“What has changed all goes back to how citizens are reacting to vets.”



They didn't know how many would show, and by noon the number totaled fewer than 50. But the enthusiasm during Northern Colorado's first Stand Down seemed tangible all the same.

“Thank God for Stand Down,” veteran Fred Lovelace softly sang as he shuffled through a stack of jeans.

For years, Denver has hosted an annual Veterans Stand Down, where more than a thousand vets come for a hot meal, some donated clothing and supplies and a chance to speak with Veterans Affairs officials about benefits and services. But Larimer County—and Northern Colorado for that matter-—had not yet had the funds to pay for such an event despite the fairly large veteran population in the area. According to Department of Veterans Affairs estimates, there are currently about 22,000 veterans in Larimer County and 14,000 in Weld County. Officials estimate that about 10 percent of them are homeless.

To help fund Northern Colorado's inaugural Stand Down, Veterans Employment Representative Sharon Lindell applied for funds through the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs' Trust Fund, which is in part funded by the state's Tobacco Trust Fund settlement. Lindell received $25,000 for Northern Colorado, $5,000 of which went toward the event. The VA provided a huge shipment of surplus gear—from sleeping bags and blankets to clothing—for the vets who attended.

For the Stand Down, Lindell and the host organizations, including the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs, focused on finding vets in need of medical treatment, who are homeless, or who are in need of services and benefits—even if it’s nothing more than just a hair cut.

Lindell and her colleagues say that if they can reach those vets within three years of being discharged, the veterans are less likely to become “institutionally homeless.”

“My goal is to catch those three-year window people,” Lindell said. “It could save a life.”

On a bright, warm fall day, with a crisp coating of leaves carpeting the Laporte American Legion's lawn, vets plastered with buttons and hats and T-shirts, relics of past wars and various military branches, wait in line for hair cuts or flu shots and dig through piles of clothing set on picnic tables outside and surplus military gear spread across tables inside the Legion. Food is served and the vets—some old and grizzled, others clean-cut and smiley, all as nice as can be—sit to eat.

Inside, tables are set up to help with Veterans Affairs eligibility claims assistance as well as job placement services.

Maj. Gen. Michael Edwards is surrounded by a group of uniformed and non-uniformed men who listen closely to his every word.

Edwards speaks with pride when he talks about efforts to help vets these days. While funding is tight, they boast about the Veteran's Trust Fund and what support it provides Colorado's vets, including transportation to and from VA hospitals and events like the Northern Colorado Stand Down.

“We are here to help,” he said.

Those around him agree. Many are vets who now serve as Veterans Affairs, state or county officials and work with other vets to get services and find jobs, or work with state lawmakers to plan legislation that will support vets. They use their own experiences as a driver for their continuing efforts to help veterans.

Ralph Bozella, of the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs and a former combat veteran in Vietnam, agrees with Edwards that the legacy of the Vietnam vet is to make sure that the new generation of vets has assistance.

“When I came back, we had no support. We were dropped off and expected to pick up the pieces of our lives like normal. But it was like hitting a wall,” he said. “I was expected to get a job and go about life as normal. But I couldn't make that commitment. I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't just sit at some job.”

Bozella attributes his difficulty returning back to civilian life to post traumatic stress disorder, though he didn't know it at the time.

“I just couldn't deal with normal life until I hit a low and something deep inside of me said, 'You are a veteran. You get yourself together and get a job,'” he said. “We as vets have learned from experiences like that, we've learned from what we went through and from what we had to overcome. We don't want to lose some of (the vets from Iraq or Afghanistan) like we lost some of the Vietnam vets, who ended up living outside of the system.

“And the sooner we get them into the VA system, the better.”

That's not always easy. Vets say that once back from deployment, they often try to get back into their normal lives, get jobs or go to school and sometimes forget about VA's benefits. And, thus, they end up missing out on services—from medical to educational—for which they are eligible.

“Most don't know what they have coming to them,” Bozella said.

It is a paradoxical situation that modern vets will face, making benefits and medical services all the more important: with advanced technology, medical treatment and transportation, soldiers are now surviving injuries that would once be fatal. But those battle wounds often leave soldiers chronically injured.

Soldiers also continue suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury, which has more recently become an issue for soldiers.

“These are things we are going to have to figure out how to deal with as these soldiers get back and as the long-term effects become apparent,” said George Thomas, chairman of the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs.



“I live and die vets. I work it day and night,” said Diana Stevens, veterans service officer for Larimer County. “That's how it has to be for me. … We don't know what they want or need unless we open our hearts and let them in.”

When Stevens says “day and night,” she is not exaggerating. She has opened her home to Nancy, a veteran of the Gulf War who is now struggling with PTSD-related conditions. Because of her circumstances, Nancy cannot handle stressful situations, meaning she has a hard time with employment despite her college education. She would be in a homeless shelter if it weren't for Stevens.

“It's been a blessing,” Nancy said.

“We all have the ability to save them if we stay connected,” Stevens added. “Once we are connected to the veterans, then we can hook them up with benefits and help them.”

Having open doors and outreach, she says, is the key to helping veterans who are not easily transitioning back into civilian life.

“The important thing is to reach out and take care of the homeless vets and offer them basic services,” she said. “If we can help them out and give them clothes, that can make all the difference.”

Need Help? Larimer County Veterans Services 200 West Oak Street, Suite 5000 Fort Collins, Colo. 498-7390