A fundraising dinner aimed at helping returning veterans make a smooth transition back into civilian life is scheduled to take place in Chillicothe in late September.
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The non-profit veterans' organizations Dress Right Dress, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the local non-profit Operation Until There's None, will join forces to host the event on September 22nd at the Chillicothe Country Club.
Jeremy Parkins is the founding member of Dress Right Dress, a non-profit which seeks to help veterans avoid the trappings of substance abuse and incarceration, and helps them transition back into civilian life. He says the September 22nd dinner will help veterans connect and network with one another in an effort to help them deal with the pitfalls and anxieties of moving forward in life, following discharge from the military.
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One of the chief issues facing veterans today is suicide, which can be triggered by a variety of issues faced by returning veterans. Jeremy says transitional anxiety can lead to depression, elevated stress, incarceration and even suicide, but cases are not always due to the commonly known condition of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He says many cases of suicide among veterans have to do with transitioning back into civilian life.
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“A lot of people automatically associate veteran suicide with combat operations such as PTSD and that sort of thing,” said Parkins. “That’s actually a small percentage, between 30 and 33-percent of the veterans that commit suicide. The other 70-percent is transitional stress, or transitional anxiety, or some other type of anxiety associated with getting out.”
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Parkins says many veterans can feel a decrease in their sense of self-worth post release, having been given duties and responsibilities during their military service that require a great amount of skill and expertise.
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“When you’re in the military, you have a sense of identity, you have a rank and you have a job,” said Parkins. “I talk to veterans all the time that will tell me… I worked with million-dollar aircraft, or I did this or that, but when they get out, that sense of trust or responsibility isn’t there in their civilian employment.”
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Parkins adds that the overall change a person goes through when entering the military can have lasting effects, and the behavior that’s drilled into military recruits, can be hard to shake on discharge. He believes more needs to be done to show veterans how to transition successfully.
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“When you join the military, you leave home at 18 years old, and the second you get off that plane or bus, you’re being molded into a piece of equipment for the military,” said Parkins. “You are instantly being yelled at, broken down, and rebuilt into what they need you. But when you’re getting out, nobody is telling you how to get out, nobody is being specific.”
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Parkins says the issue of veterans returning to civilian life will be an important part of September’s fundraiser. It’ll offer vets a chance to meet and speak with other veterans who face the same challenges.
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“There’s a growing disconnect between civilians and veterans,” said Parkins. “Go talk to any veteran. They’d rather talk to another veteran than talk to a doctor or their civilian friends, because of shared experiences.”
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The dinner will feature guest speakers from NAMI and Operation Until There is None, and Parkins says they’ve requested the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide helpful information to benefit attendees. And while there, attending veterans will be asked to share their stories.
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“This is hopefully going to be a sobering event to raise social awareness,” said Parkins. “But there are funds trying to be raised, so that organizations can still continue to help those still struggling.”
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If you’d like to purchase tickets to the dinner, just visit eventbrite.com, HERE. Tickets start at $35.00.
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If you’d like more information about the September 22nd dinner, or more information on Dress Right Dress, simply contact Jeremy Parkins at 740-656-2701. You can also visit the group on facebook, HERE.
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Proceeds raised during the dinner will go to support the programs and services of Dress Right Dress, NAMI, and Operation Until There's None.