Help veterans, get involved
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Editor,
For some years I have been part of groups with a heightened local concern about suicides, PTSD, and all the associated family and social problems involved. My latest group involvement is the “SKC Veterans Group” with a very focused attention to our veterans who are returning from the war zones.
We know that the health of a community depends upon the health of its citizens. This includes spiritual health, educational health, economic health, physical health, and mental health. And these “health categories” feed and depend upon each other. To ignore building programs of help in any one of these categories negatively affects the whole community.
This is why I involve myself, as do many others. Involvement builds community health. The SKC Veterans Group is a quite diverse and interesting group, which is becoming even more essential as U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern hostilities wind down. We are looking at a looming problem as young veterans are returning to a whole different environment for which they are not prepared, and in many cases trying to deal with “inner demons” resulting in turning to alcohol, drugs, creating family crises, committing suicide, and all manner of anger and fear-based behavior. And while the actual number of veterans returning to our valley may not be large in relationship to the total population, consider the number of people closely affected. It becomes very significant, indeed.
We meet on Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the SKC Bookstore, Room 126. Our weekly meetings are facilitated by Dean Furukawa, DSW, LCSW, Tribal Social Services Department. Due to holidays and school schedules, our next meeting will be Jan. 15, 2014.
Public awareness is necessary. Public understanding is essential. Support programs are critical. Public support and involvement is very important. One does not have to be a veteran to attend these meetings. It is open to all. Do you know of anyone who needs help? Do you want to get involved? Call Dean Furukawa at (406) 275-4829, or me, Bob McClellan, at (406) 883-2127.
Bob McClellan
Polson
