The Veterans Affairs medical center in La Jolla sponsored its first “Welcome Home” event yesterday – a health and caregiver-support fair for men and women returning from deployment overseas.
These days, nonprofit groups and the government are offering a lot more mental and physical health services and other programs for troops leaving active duty and transitioning to civilian life.
“When someone leaves the military and the holistic system that supports the entire family unit, the idea is these organizations and partners pick up where we leave off,” health club said Michael Kilmer, care-coordination manager for the VA's Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom programs.
“Here, we have case-management teams to maintain those relationships.”
Staying connected to services and groups that understand what a military person has been through is crucial, Kilmer said.
During the daylong event, hundreds of men, women and their families wandered by about 40 table displays where nonprofit groups and government agencies offered details about free or discount programs tailored for them.
“I'm hitting every booth,” said Lt. Patrick Walsh, 41, who will soon retire after a 20-year Navy career in bomb disposal. “There's a lot of state and federal programs here, and I need to find out the details.”
Numerous programs represented yesterday help veterans cope with life after traumatic brain injury or with post-traumatic stress disorder. Some programs assist those learning to walk or move their arms or legs, perhaps because of an amputation.
One table displayed devices to help veterans partially blinded by brain or eye injuries.
For those suffering from depression, insomnia or anxiety, a VA researcher was recruiting participants for a study on genetic markers for neurotransmitter imbalance, paying some qualified volunteers as much as $1,000.
Vocational training, tutoring, couples counseling, anger management, job listings and financial advice were among the services offered.
Need new furniture, a home loan or a chaplain who understands combat stress? Looking for discounts on school tuition? Programs involving all those issues were on display, too.
Melody Forgy said veterans at the VA's Wellness and Vocational Enrichment Clinic are taught ways to explain to a potential employer how their military skills would be valuable.
“For example, they may have great skills in organizing food, equipment and weapon supplies, but they don't know how that translates to a job in civilian language, or how to write a résumé,” Forgy said. “We can help with that.”
Female veterans should consider getting their health care through the VA's Firm Comprehensive Women's Clinic, rather than from civilian medical providers, said the clinic's Elka Braden.
“Military sexual trauma and sexual abuse is something that sometimes occurs, but providers in the community might not even think to ask about it health club,” Braden said. “We're better equipped to handle it,” she said.
Richard Cira, 27, and Timothy Gass, 25, were Marines stationed together in Kuwait during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Although they returned to San Diego four years ago, Cira and Gass came to “Welcome Home” yesterday to find out what new services are available.
“It's nice to get in touch with different groups that are out there to help us,” said Gass, who is looking for a place to live. Gass said he was surprised to find out about a home-loan program for veterans health club.
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