How to lend veterans a helping hand

Metro Creative Connection Members of the military play an important role in keeping the peace and preserving the freedoms that democracy enables. Veterans of the United States Armed Forces are celebrated each Nov. 11 on Veterans Day. It’s important that residents in communities big and small take time on Veterans Day to recognize their brave neighbors who served in the Armed Forces. But support for veterans should not begin and end in mid-November. Indeed, there’s much anyone can do to lend veterans a helping hand all year long. Volunteer with local veteran assistance organizations and programs. Serving in the military is not easy, and many veterans who serve or served confront serious issues upon returning from combat or leaving the military. The Committee to Evaluate VA Mental Health Services found that 23% of veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) experienced PTSD, while roughly 16% suffered from depression.

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