Let’s Bring them All the Way Home

July 19, 2013 Sons of AMVETS Officers and Members After much thought, I have decided to help our veterans at the VA’s in the areas dealing with PTSD and Suicide Prevention, as my Commander’s Project. It is quite disturbing and heartbreaking to read the statistics of our US Military deaths due to suicide as a result of their PTSD and/or TBI (traumatic brain injury). People who have suffered numerous mild traumatic brain injuries – or concussions – carry a higher suicide risk, according to the first medical study to make the connection. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder. It can occur after you have gone through an extreme emotional trauma that involved the threat of injury or death. In May of 2013, it was reported that there is one suicide every 18 hours among the active-duty, reserve and National Guard members. It is feared that this rate will increase when the troops are drawn down from Afghanistan. Not only are our veterans in need but also their families. There are many times when family members of those affected by PTSD/TBI develop PTSD resulting in suicides as well. My Project, “Let’s Bring them All the Way Home” will be used to purchase items for the VA’s PTSD and Suicide Prevention programs. There are many times that the traditional VA supply chain is much slower than expected and we can get those items in their facilities at a much faster pace. I am asking that all of the Ohio Sons of AMVETS help make this project a great success. Yours in service, Sons of AMVETS Department of Ohio Paul Speigle Commander