PTSD monument unveiled on Veterans Day

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

American Legion Post 178 honored local veterans with a Veterans Day celebration Wednesday in Memorial Park, while also cutting the ribbon on a new addition to the Legion park.

Assisted by the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce, Legion members first cut the ribbon on a new PTSD Monument in Memorial Park. 

Clint Myers, a former U.S. Army Ranger who spearheaded local efforts to create a Post Traumatic Stress Disease (PTSD) support group, spoke about the disease, from which he suffers, but has been able to manage for a number of years.

Myers noted that PTSD sufferers are not only found in the military, but can be accident victims and others involved in traumatic and stressful situations where death is a very real possibility.

Myers explained that those suffering from PTSD repress stress caused by traumatic incidents until their brains overload and they can no longer process what has happened to them.

“PTSD never goes away, but it becomes manageable,” he noted, “and we (support group members) teach people how to manage their stress and how to recognize the symptoms.”

Myers said anyone involved in a traumatic incident that could result in them suffering from PTSD are welcome to attend meetings of PTSD Support Group 178, which meets the first Monday of each month, starting at 8 p.m., at Legion Post 178, 631 W. Main St. in Van Wert.

Myers added that two young people involved in a traumatic traffic accident are currently attending meetings so that members can help them manage trauma-related stress and keep them from becoming PTSD sufferers.

He also noted that mental health treatment offered by the Veterans Administration requires that participants also attend support group meetings. However, area VA-sponsored support groups only meet in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during daytime hours, making it difficult for some veterans to attend those meetings.

He also explained the “22 to 0” etching on the monument, noting that, every day in the U.S., 22 veterans die from suicide. In fact, Myers said that number has increased to 26 veterans a day committing suicide since the COVID-19 pandemic hit America.

Past District 2 Commander Ken Schutz, guest speaker for Wednesday’s Veterans Day celebration, also touched on the increases in suicide among active service members — which are up 30 percent — and the need to provide help for veterans contemplating suicide.

He also thanked Van Wert Memorials, which donated the stone and engraving work for the monument, while a GoFundMe account set up raised $1,400 that was used to purchase three benches situated in front of the monument.

Schutz then talked about Veterans Day and why it should be important to all Americans.

“In today’s society, regardless of how one feels about our policies that lead to war, there’s no doubt that veterans serve with honor, they preserve our freedom,” he noted.

Schutz said that, unlike Memorial Day, which honors those who died in service of their country, Veterans Day celebrates the service of all veterans, past and present.

Schutz noted that Veterans Day, originally called Armistice Day to mark the armistice that ended World War I, is held on the 11th day, 11th month, and 11th hour the day and time of the armistice back in 1918, honors those veterans that did not serve in combat roles, as well as those who do the fighting.

“Many of our veterans are very humble, (but) there is no such thing as insignificant military service,” Schutz added.

In addition to war service, veterans also support those who fight, as well as provide a deterrent to keep the peace, he said.

While Schultz noted that Veterans Day is an important way to say “thank you” to veterans for their service, he added his opinion that employers should also give extra weight to military service when seeking workers, similar to what is done by government agencies.

“Many veterans have skills that are very useful in today’s job market,” he said.

Schutz also noted that, when members of Congress complain about the cost of care for veterans, they should also remember the cost of being a veteran, many of whom suffer from PTSD or a variety of service disabilities, which include being paralyzed and losing arms or legs.

Whitehorse Biker Church Pastor Steve “Slowride” Haskin provided the invocation and benediction, while an honor guard provided an 18-gun salute to veterans.

Following the service, the Legion post hosted a meal for veterans, their families, and others who attended.