Volunteers, including veterans, first responders, and military service members, gather at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, to place flags on the gravestones ahead of Veterans Day.
Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 | 2 a.m.
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More than 200,000 people living in Nevada are veterans of the United States armed forces. An additional 25,000 are currently serving on active duty or as members of the National Guard or reserves. An estimated 200,000 Nevadans are spouses or children of a veteran or active-duty service member. That means that on any given day, more than 10% of the people you may encounter on the street, in your local grocery store or at your child’s soccer match are part of the U.S. armed services family.
Despite their prevalence in our society, many veterans suffer from loneliness, isolation and even depression. This is especially true in the timeframe immediately after being discharged, after disruptive life events such as divorce or job loss and later in life when their brothers and sisters in arms move or pass away. Combat veterans may also struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional challenges that come from experiencing the chaos and carnage of war. And, of course, Purple Heart veterans — those who were wounded in service to our country — may bear physical scars as reminders of their service or even face disabilities that require third-party care and increase the risks of mental health challenges.
Each of these scenarios is normal and does not in any way call into question the strength or heroism of those who risk their lives in service to the country. In fact, a 2019 study published in the journal of Affective Disorders, found that symptoms of loneliness, isolation and depression are more prevalent among veterans than non-
veterans, even after adjusting for other factors such as age and marital status. The study found that as many as 15-17% of veterans experience serious symptoms of depression at least three days a week. Almost 10% experience these symptoms daily.
Yet too many veterans and too many of us who try to honor their sacrifice and care for them may struggle to have open and honest conversations about mental health. Just as members of a combat unit must work together and cover one another to help ensure everyone returns to base safely after a dangerous mission, veterans and members of the public must also work together and build bonds of trust to help ensure the health and safety of our service members after they return home.
That’s why the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) called on Congress to pass legislation and funding to help improve mental health, decrease isolation, support peer networking and increase suicide prevention awareness among veterans in the United States.
In response, Congress passed The Strong Veterans Act of 2022. It requires the VA to work collaboratively with other agencies and with the public to address mental health concerns among veterans and promote mental health services provided by the VA.
Under the direction of the act, the VA has created a Buddy Check program that calls on veterans to complete peer wellness, resiliency and other training related to mental health care. The program ultimately calls on veterans to continue to protect their battle buddies by making a commitment to check in with 10 veterans in their community and offer support and information to the veteran, their family and their caregivers.
Connecting veterans to other veterans to open the doors to conversations about mental health makes sense. A shared sense of service and experience are essential to building trust and creating opportunities for honest dialogue about the status and needs of the men and women who proudly wear the uniform. Similarly, connecting veterans to those who support or care for veterans also makes sense because they can offer first-hand insights.
But this doesn’t mean that those who make the pledge to check in with 10 of their comrades are on their own or that there isn’t a role for those of us who didn’t serve in the armed forces.
If you know a veteran — and odds are if you’re living in Las Vegas that you do — now is the time to talk to them about getting involved in the Buddy Check program or the Veterans Wellness Alliance.
The Wellness Alliance is an innovative alliance of organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project, Team Rubicon and Student Veterans of America, that connects high-quality care providers and veteran peer networks to empower veterans to seek mental health treatment.
Similar organizations exist for connecting with a veteran’s family, caregiver or survivors, such as the American Red Cross Military and Veteran Caregiver Network and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.
By encouraging veterans in your life to connect with these programs, you can not only increase the reach and effectiveness of the programs themselves but can also put your loved ones in a position to better understand their own mental health and wellbeing. That way, if they are experiencing distress or difficulties in daily life, they are more likely to be aware of programs and services offered by the VA, the Veterans Wellness Alliance and related organizations.
All Americans owe a debt of service and gratitude to those who serve our country. With proper care and the knowledge that we love and support them, our veterans can continue to thrive on and off the battlefield.
HELP IS AVAILABLE
The Veterans Crisis Line is the fastest way to get help if you or your buddy is in crisis, facing emotional distress, loneliness, depression or at risk of killing themselves.
Dial 988 then press 1 if you encounter a friend needing help now.
You can also text the Veterans Crisis Line at 838255 or chat with a responder at www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/
