Virginia Wounded Warrior Program reaches out to veterans who need help

State program reaches out to veterans who need help
By Michael Martz
Published: January 7, 2010

Since terrorists struck the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, more than 230,000 troops have been deployed to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq from Virginia military bases.

Now, a state program is trying to help those coming back to find help for problems they might not even want to discuss.

The Virginia Wounded Warrior Program is using a tiny budget to reach a big problem -- veterans with behavioral-health problems, ranging from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder to traumatic brain injuries.

More than 813,000 military veterans live in Virginia, including more than 38,000 veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. And that doesn't include the families of service members who have been deployed.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as we're concerned," said Mary Ann Bergeron, executive director of the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards. "When they come back, families expect the same person. Well, they're not getting the same person."
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State program reaches out to veterans who need help