Transitioning home is difficult for vets

“What can we as community members do to thank your community’s veterans?”

This is the question asked by Kimball County Commissioner, Daria Anderson Faden.

Learning more about military culture and becoming better prepared to serve the veterans in the community is an important first step.

They put their life on the line for our freedom, let’s help them transition back into civilian status and thrive in this community with training, education and by allowing them to communicate their needs, personal, as well as family needs, Faden suggested.

Faden, who serves on the board for the Panhandle Health District in Scottsbluff, is asking those who wish to give back to local vets to attend a meeting on March 17 at the Harms Center in Scottsbluff at 1 p.m.

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, 64% of those who served in combat feel disconnected from civilian life, 51% say the military is not doing enough to transition veterans to civilian life and 33% think about their service in war every single day.

Approximately 7,000 veterans have served in the military and have returned home to rural Nebraska in the Panhandle. Veterans are able to adapt to our rural community, but have to have help transitioning back to civilian life. It’s not just a change of scenery, but a change in careers, responsibilities, living conditions, lifestyle and so on.

Kendra Lauruhn, a VetSET coordinator with the Panhandle Public Health District said, “I separated from the Air Force after nearly 13 years of service. The transition home was not easy but I have a great support system here in Nebraska.”

For more information on this subject or about the meeting concerning helping our vets, please contact Lauruhn at Panhandle Public Health District at 308-633-2866 ext 106 or toll free at 877-218-2490.