Advice for returning veterans

Advice for returning veterans

BY ANNA HERKAMP

DANVILLE — Danville Area Community College’s Veterans’ Multipurpose Employment Center hosted a speaker at Bremer Center Thursday night who has personal knowledge of what life is like for today’s returning veterans.

Mike Jones, chief financial officer of Not Alone, an online support organization for those returning home from combat duty in the Middle East, knows what it’s like because he was there himself.

The West Point graduate returned home from two tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2004. As a rifle company commander in Iraq, he was responsible for a city of 225,000 and was assigned 136 men to defend the area.

By the time he was finished with his last tour, he eagerly jumped into civilian life with a new career in investment banking.

Although he thought he was ready for a change, it became apparent to those around him that he hadn’t fully come home yet. He shut himself off from his parents, he drank too much and rarely allowed anyone near him.

Two years went by before he sought help. His wife told him if he didn’t, their relationship would be over.

Jones described himself as worse off than many veterans. He had a way of getting through his life much like a high-functioning alcoholic.
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