Vets4Vets support groups close due to economy?

I never thought I'd see the day when PTSD made the national news, but it did with the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 1982 I've been working with veterans, mostly from Vietnam and their families and I have to tell you it was a very lonely thing to do back then. No one knew what it was. Even today people will ask me what it is when I tell them what I do. Still with the national news, the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration along with congress making the news almost daily, the stories of our veterans has finally begun to penetrate the conscience of America. There is a lot of money being invested in taking care of our veterans when it comes to PTSD more than ever before, so we really need to wonder how it is that an organization would be shutting down due to the economy.

I just went into their site.

Vets 4 Vets - Peer Support For Iraq And Afghanistan-Era Vets
Comraderie, Respect, Confidentiality, Well-being. Peer Support For Iraq And Afghanistan-Era Vets.

To tell you the truth, I've seen a lot better. It's not that the group is just not good enough but there are so many now it makes even my head spin. At least once a day I'll receive an email from another group seeking support. The question we should be asking is why don't all of these groups join forces? Why would you need so many different national groups if they were doing what they are supposed to be doing? Wouldn't combining memberships of all of these separate organizations offer them a lot more recourses, connections and talent to really help veterans instead of competing with each other?

I've seen it all these years where people will get into this work and do so for the wrong reasons. It's not so much they want to help the veterans more than anything else but they want to be seen and paid attention to. Ego gets into this and the intent of the organization falls apart. There are many groups doing good work for the right reasons but they are not open to "outsiders" offering experience or knowledge almost as if they don't want to hear what they are getting wrong and free up time to get it right. Again, ego gets in the way and they waste time making the same mistakes others made 30 years ago. When will it end?

Older groups founded for veterans are reluctant to change, to adapt to new technology so they can take care of the newer veterans. In a time when their memberships numbers should be at an all time high, they are dwindling because their members are dying of old age. Newer groups start and then fall apart. Established groups have ego issues. Is anyone even caring about the veterans they said they wanted to serve? Too many groups have fallen apart and they had a lot of good people in them with the needs of the veterans foremost in their actions but they were run by egotistical people unwilling to listen and learn. It takes an ego to form a group and obtain a level of clout but it should never be allowed to get out of control.

I have no idea what happened to Vets4Vets or why they are shutting down in this new administration increasing funding for groups more than we've ever seen before, but they are. Donations are very hard to come by in this bad economy but obtaining grants and funding should be easier than at any other time. As each group fails, there are more and more veterans in need of help and not getting it. Can't someone step in and talk some sense into all of these organizations so the veterans are really taken care of for a change? Anyone have any answers?

Tyler Wing reports
Vets4Vets support groups close due to economy

One of the only support groups nationwide who help returning veterans cope with "post traumatic stress disorder" is shutting down due to the economy.

Vets4Vets will shut down June 30th because funding has run out. Founder Abel Moreno says the foundation providing Vets4Vets grant money has run out of money themselves.

"These are the sons and daughters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, mothers and fathers of our community who are coming back home dealing with significant issues," says Moreno.

Moreno and Jim Driscol started Vets4Vets four years ago to specifically help Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Moreno says only a miracle will save the organization.
http://www.kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=10205490