Veterans Fight a Losing War on the Home Front
- Lex
- Apr 14, 2019
- 2 min read
The U.S. Military receives training to complete jobs stateside and fight wars overseas, but are calling for proper training to fight the wars at home. Haley Clover dedicated over 10 years in the U.S. Air Force and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2008-09. She said that she wasn’t prepared for the battle she would face when she returned home.
“I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2013 and was never told about it,” Clover said. “ I had to find out by going through my own medical records. They never told me about it.”
More than 260 suicide attempts took place on Veterans Affairs (VA) soil alone with many of them receiving intervention. However, in the last 5 days, there have been 3 veteran suicides on VA campuses.
“I didn’t know I needed help,” Clover said. “Then in 2016 I had a suicide attempt. I got help after that.”
The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that 20% of those who serve in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) will be diagnosed with PTSD. The contributing factors can include anything from combat involvement to sexual assault.
“I thought the diagnosis was only for people that straight up killed people in combat,” Clover said. “I had no clue that I could possibly have PTSD.”
Clover said that she believes that military is lacking significant training that could better prepare those who serve in identifying PTSD.
“You need a structure reintegration back into society,” Clover said. “You can’t just be thrown back into it.”
In 2018, the VA was scrutinized for failing to use millions of dollars for proper suicide prevention and education. They were reported to use less than 1% of a $6.2 million budget. In 2019, the VA has requested an 8% increase in these funds bringing their overall proposed budget for suicide prevention over $20 million in the year 2020 despite not properly using the funds in prior years.
Aaron Allmon served for 21 years in the U.S. Air Force and said he no longer uses the Audie Murphy VA Hospital.
“They have demonstrated massive incompetence time and time again,” Allmon said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous that they are requesting more money. Please don’t reward the constant abuse of this program.”
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