On this Veterans/Armistice Day we salute all veterans and active military personnel, with appreciation for their tremendous service to our country.
But not all Veterans have had such a welcoming homecoming experience.
The transition from civilian life to one of military is tough enough. But returning home after duty is a completely different kind of transition for many Veterans.
No more rigid environment. Nobody setting your schedule for you. No more camaraderie with the other troops. You’re in charge of your own life again. And if you saw combat, it can be much more emotionally devastating. It can be very difficult to make that psychological transition back home and back into civilian life again.
If you see a Veteran, not just on Veterans Day but any day; thank them for their Service but also sincerely ask them how they’re doing? Your question may spark a need for support. Below are some resources available:
In the Detroit area, Veterans support can be found at:
Detroit Regional Offices of Veterans Services
https://www.benefits.va.gov/Detroit/veterans-services-orgs.asp.
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, which connects Vets to Benefits and Resources
https://www.michiganveterans.com
The Michigan Veterans Foundation offers support in the form of:
- Veteran Rescue Program
- Transitional Housing
- Vocational and Life Skill training
- Health care services
- PTSD Counseling
- Transportation, meals and clothing
- Substance Abuse Intervention
- Legal Assistance and Housing Placement
http://www.michiganveteransfoundation.org.
The Michigan Veterans of Foreign Wars provides assistance will filling out and submitting VA forms and processes, and also offers a Buddy to Buddy program that can pair up Veterans that can support each other to help handle the transition back to civilian life.
https://vfwmi.org/di/vfw/v2/default.asp?pid=8899
Painting info:
Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), “The Homecoming,” 1945. Cover illustration for “The Saturday Evening Post,” May 26, 1945. Norman Rockwell Museum.
William Schmidt Counseling 