Veterans Day ceremonies can rekindle bad memories

Veterans Day ceremonies can rekindle bad memories
Returning vets from the wars face problems
By Gregory Lewis South Florida Sun-Sentinel
November 11, 2008

Fermin Jimenez, a 47-year-old Army sergeant who did a year of duty in Iraq, may spend today riding his Harley-Davidson in a Veterans Day parade in Miami.

But, maybe not.

Jimenez ended his tour in Iraq in 2004. But it still isn't over for him. He doesn't like crowds. He suffers flashbacks. He gets angry. Physically, neck and back injuries pain him. He also experienced a hearing loss.

While Veterans Day is a day to celebrate the men and women who have fought in wars to keep America safe, it is also a reminder of the trials and tribulations they face after they come home.

Jimenez, of Miami Lakes, is among the 75,719 vets who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder since the Iraq war began.

Veterans Affairs is trying to help by reaching out to soldiers involved in the wars being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, by hiring counselors who focus specifically on them.

"Transitioning them back into civilian life and family life is our number-one goal," said Susan Ward, a spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs in Miami. "This is a whole new generation we are providing [an] active outreach team for."

Having learned from Vietnam War vets who came back traumatized and had to fight the military for treatment, the VA-operated veterans' centers have tried to be pro-active in helping this generation of soldiers, say VA counselors.
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