Veterans suffering from mental illness can get help from several different organizations.
Veterans Day is November 11 this year, and organizations like The American Warrior Association and Wounded Warriors are able to help veterans in need.
“We sleep in our beds at night only because rough [people] stand ready to do violence on our behalf,” said by George Orwell.
Former members of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force are what comprise our veterans.
There are many veterans who suffer from various forms of mental illness. The CDC website explains mental illness as the “emotional, psychological, and social well being [affecting] how we think, feel, and act.”
Mental health can vary with many different cases like mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders, PTSD, depression, and more.
The American Warrior Association is a nonprofit organization that handles the mental and physical welfare of the military. The organization started in the third quarter of 2018 by Will Spencer, a retired Navy Seal Master Chief along with two other board members. Anna Heil serves as the director of development.
They are currently based in Fort Worth, Texas, but the goal is to become a nationwide organization providing the right support and resources to active duty military, veterans, and first responders across the nation.
They provide reimbursement for travel arrangements for people who live out of state, already reaching out and providing aid and comfort to people from states far away, like Hawaii and Alaska, reminding people that no matter how far you are, your mental health comes first.
The American Warrior Association helps address the fact that you could suffer from PTSD, but also many other problems as well like mortal injuries which could lead down the road to other mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression.
“Anxiety is huge, we see anxiety just cripple individuals when it’s not addressed,” said Heil
“The heart of our organization are our programs,” said Heil. Some of these programs are their men’s and women’s programs that happen once a month but they are flexible and they can work with what best suits their members’ schedules as well.
The American Warrior Association also can refer people to other partnering organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that provides programs for mental health as well as many others like American Warrior.
In addition to taking into consideration military, veterans, and first responders mental health, American Warrior addresses the issues of spouses of military personnel’s mental health.
“[If] one member serves the whole family serves,” Heil said.
The American Warrior Association gives spouses an opportunity to discuss their wellness by giving them a chance to talk about the perspectives of other people at the organization working to help navigate and comfort one another.
There are clinics all over the world for traumatic brain injuries that help patients by referring to organizations like the American Warrior Association that will provide the right resources and community for them.
American Warrior strives to not only diagnose and treat military and first responders but also help them for the future whether it be going back to school and getting their MBA or doctorate or even transitioning in or out the military as much “to help relieve that financial burden,” said Heil.
Heil added, “When one person experiences a loss everyone comes together and encourages them.” These organizations work to provide a strong support community for our American heroes who truly give our nation their all.