MIDLAND, Texas —
Leaving the military doesn’t automatically put your mind back to how it was before you joined up.
VFW Post 4149 in Midland says that for some veterans the switch can be too hard for them.
“Many people just don't realize the effects of war, and for the people that have served and have served, you know, in a live, you know, act of wartime scenarios. The things that they see and the things that they are a part of, you know, those are things that you just can't forget,” said Darrell Thornton, chairman of VFW Post 4149 Motorcycle Group Unit 4.
The West Texas VA says that it’s important for both veterans and those around them like friends and family to be able to recognize warning signs so that the risk of suicide can be prevented.
“It's always important to get help if you think you need it, and for veterans it could be that they're noticing that just their overall day-to-day doesn't seem like it has previously, so their normal personality, their normal approach to life might be different. It could be isolation. It could be feelings of hopelessness,” said Susan Rosenfeldt, suicide prevention coordinator for the West Texas VA.
The Thornton says that events like their 22 A Day Walk and Ride help raise money so that the post can be another place that veterans in their community can turn to for help.
“And if we have a veteran that comes in and needs to go to counseling and doesn't have money, then we can't. We don't have thousands of dollars. We've got a few $100 that we can put to each person to help get them into counseling and or if they, you know, for whatever reason they need a bus ticket home, you know, we help them that way. We don't like I said not lots of money. So, what we do have, we're willing to give it to help the help them heal and get readjusted,” said Thornton.
If you're a veteran or know a veteran that needs help you can call the veteran crisis line at 988 then press 1.