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Brianna Baker Mr. Borrero English 1102 4/11/13 Reflective Memo

I believe I grew stronger as a writer with this project because I invested a lot of time this letter. If I had another 24 hours to perfect this piece of writing I would incorporate more research to increase the depth of the letter. I began very strong with this project by going to both optional peer conferences with Mr. B and my peers. I was able to get extra input and advice on my paper to make it stronger. I learned a lot by reading my peers essays to determine what I also needed to change in my own. My peers definitely provided me with great advice and helped me to find the strengths and weaknesses in my paper. Unfortunately I missed class due to sickness the last week of the project and was unable to get more help with the conclusion of my letter. I feel as though my conclusion could be stronger I had been able to attend class. I still did my best to make the end just as good as the beginning. I feel that I have plenty of research and information to back up my argument and that my purpose is clear. While reading my paper you should focus on the flow of my letter. You said it should flow so that if it was to be played in a movie it would make sense. I believe it does. You should also pay attention to the research that gives my paper depth and firmly backs up my argument. Overall, I believe this project is a good reflection of my growth in writing and investment in the course.

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C.A.P. Project Dear Department of Veteran Affairs, Its no surprise that war has a tremendous effect on veterans with the traumatic

experiences that they go through. Veterans have faced the many brutalities of war and witnessed things that many of us never will: bombings, shootings, severe wounds and accidents, violent fighting, and the loss of their close friends they made in combat. These experiences lead to mental health problems, Post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and often times suicide. Many veterans find the effects of war to be unbearable and take their own lives. During the transitional period from war to living the civilian life many veterans struggle to adjust. Vets First says it best, Change is never an easy process. Transitioning from military to civilian life is not just a change in employment, but a change in culture and lifestyle as well. Veterans need lots of support and counseling to make this change. The government is obviously unaware of the severity of war because you are not doing whats necessary to save the lives of ours veterans. I am extremely upset and disturbed by the increase in the veteran suicide rate from 18 veterans per day to 22 (NY Times 1). The number should be deceasing dramatically! While I understand that some suicides are unpreventable no matter what lengths you go through to stop them it is unsettling to hear that the suicide rate is rising. The department of Veteran Affairs should begin providing more counseling and therapy as well as outreach programs and as a last resort medication for our veterans during their transitional period. The lives of ours veterans are important to not only the military but families as well. I find this issue very concerning since I have multiple family members serving this country. I hope after reading my thoughts and ideas the Department of Veteran Affairs wont take the lives of our soldiers so lightly and take action immediately to save lives.

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It is very upsetting to learn that every 65 minutes a veteran takes his own life (NY Times 1). As you are aware the veteran suicide rate has increased since 1999. While I appreciate your efforts to counsel and take care of our veterans it is obvious that more needs to be done. According to Eric K. Shinseki, the secretary of Veteran Affairs, he understands this issue and is hiring more mental health professionals to counsel the veterans (Miles 2). I understand that hiring an additional 1,900 marriage and family therapists as well as licensed professional mental health counselors will benefit the veterans but it isnt just about hiring them. The veterans have always had assess to counselors and therapists. They need to be encouraged early on to speak with a therapist or counselor and discuss the issues that are bothering them. As a soldier you see heartbreaking situations daily that can eventually affect you mentally. The veterans face many crises after returning home that leave them worse off. They have to become used to what is known as the new normal. They often feel powerless, like captives, an outsider, and a shell of their former self (Larson 1). Some deal with traumatic brain injuries that make it difficult to continue their education or pursue a new career (Goodwin 1). The stresses of the transition cause family breakdowns, and substance abuse which ultimately destroys their chance at coping with their depression or problems by allowing veterans to avoid them (Goodwin 1). Normally their struggle results in stress on their relationships and leads to divorce, depression, isolation, and crime. They struggle to mend debilitating and sometimes invisible wounds, seek education or finding meaningful employment, and stepping back into relationships with family and friends (Larson 2). After war they are sent home a different person. Unfortunately for many veterans when they return home a disorder moves in with them. Sadly most veterans often suffer from Post-traumatic stress disorder also known as PTSD which is a disorder that can occur after the veteran experiences a traumatic event (We Honor Veterans

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1). Those who suffer from PTSD believe their life or the lives of others are in danger and may feel afraid that they have no control (We Honor Veterans 1). The chances of a veteran getting PTSD depends on how intense the trauma was or how long it lasted, whether someone close to them was hurt or lost, the proximity of the event, their strength of the reaction to the event, how much control they had over the event, and how much help or support the veteran received after the event took place (We Honor Veterans 2). The symptoms of PTSD can occur at any time. One out of three with PTSD have continued symptoms but with the help of treatment, like any disorder, can help so it doesnt interfere with everyday activities, work, and relationships. The four types of PTSD include reliving the event, avoiding situations that are reminders of the traumatic event, feeling numb or finding it hard to express feelings and the last are feelings of hyper-arousal causing them to be jittery and on the lookout for danger (We Honor Veterans 3). PTSD causes substance abuse problems, feelings of hopelessness, shame, despair, employment and relationship problems, and they also suffer from physical symptoms. With symptoms such as these I find it hard to understand why the Department of Veteran Affairs does not seem to be taking this disorder seriously especially if it can be cured with the proper treatment.

The issue of veterans struggling through their readjustment period is not a new one. We have fought many wars and enlisted even more soldiers that eventually retire from the military and battle the stresses of change. The 700,000 member Disabled American Veterans (DAV) noticed the problems with readjustment after war in 1977 and funded the Forgotten Warrior Project on Vietnam veterans lead by Dr. John P. Wilson at Cleveland State University (Goodwin 2). The project resulted in the formation of the DAV Vietnam Veterans Outreach Program to provide counseling for the veterans (Goodwin 2). A year later the Veterans Administration

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Operation Outreach Program for Vietnam Era Veterans was established in 1978 (Goodwin 3).

These programs became inspiration for more that were later created. The Department of Defense (DOD) formed the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) that provides transition counselors and online tools for veterans (VetsFirst 4). TAP informs veterans about benefit information, disabled veteran benefits information, employment workshops, and automated employment job-hunting tools (VetsFirst 4). It also offers mandatory pre-separation counseling, veterans benefits briefings conducted by you, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VetsFirst 5). A Disabled Transition Administration Program was also created to help special need veterans (VetsFirst 5). The government uses others programs such as the Montgomery GI Bill and Post-Vietnam-Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program to provide education and training to separating service members to assist them in achieving the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain the careers they want (VetsFirst 5). These programs have been beneficial in the past and either more need to be formed or these need to be put to use once again.

I am aware that the department of veteran Affairs has implemented many strategic plans to prevent suicides but more must be done. Im glad that the department has two suicide prevention campaigns, promotes a toll-free suicide prevention hotline, and that mental health professionals are based at every veteran medical center and the largest community based clinic but these efforts are not enough (Stockton 1). When the average number of suicides per day was 18 only five of the eighteen received care through the veteran health-care system and more than sixty percent of the five were diagnosed with mental-health conditions (Stockton 2). After learning this I am happy to know that the department began an online chat service through the suicide prevention website where veterans and they family members can speak to a trained

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veteran counselor anonymously. You also launched an advertising campaign in 124 of the U.S. cities (Stockton 3). While each strategy was affective something must change considering that the suicide rate is rising whether than decreasing. The primary source of support for veterans should not only be their families.

The rise of the veteran suicide rate is personal to me because my grandfather was a veteran, and I have uncles that are currently serving the country. I would be heartbroken if I found out that either of my uncles committed suicide due to the pressures and stress of their job when it could have been prevented with the proper help from professional therapists and transitional programs. I ask you to continue your efforts to decrease the number of veterans who take their own lives. I appreciate the work the Department of Veteran Affairs and ask you to continue to work hard to decrease the suicide rate. The veterans are courageous individuals who have gladly fought for our country and now it is time for us to fight for them.

Thank you, Brianna Baker

Work Cited
Dao, James. "As Suicides Rise in U.S., Veterans Are Less of Total." The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Feb. 2013. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. Goodwin, Jim. "Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Problems." Suicide Wall. Disabled American Veterans National Headquarters, 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Henry. "Pyschological Crisis Intervention for Iraq War Veterans." Community War Veterans. Community War Veterans, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

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Larson, Leslie. "Mud, Blood and Terror: The Brutality of the Vietnam War Captured in Harrowing Images." Mail Online. Mail Online News, 25 Jan. 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. Miles, Donna. "United States Department of Defense." Defense.gov News Article: VA Strives to Prevent Veteran Suicides. U.S. Department of Defense, 23 Apr. 2010. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)." - We Honor Veterans. National Hospice and Palliative Care, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2013.

Stockton, Halle. "Troops Returning to Face More Struggles Back Home." PublicSource. N.p., 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 02 Apr. 2013.
Vets 1 First. "Military Separation Guide." VetsFirst. VetsFirst, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.