MARQUETTE, Mich (WZMQ) – Around the holidays, the Christmas lights, ugly sweaters, and seasonal festivities can warm up these winter months, however, the veteran community might be experiencing a different seasonal effect. For some of these heroes, this can be a time of higher stress.
“We got a lot of vets that retire to the U.P. because they want that piece and quiet and isolation but it can also work negatively for them”, said Veteran Navigator Jason Wallner. Physical injury can take a large effect on veterans, and on top of this, there are also several mental challenges that follow.
In 2016, the Department of Health and Human Recourses noted a lack of assistance in our Veteran community and with around 600,000 veterans across the state, 30,000 of them are residents of the U.P. “Lots of veterans don’t have especially the population that needs it the most don’t have computers don’t know how to use a computer, using old standard flip phones”, said Veteran Service Officer, Richard Jacobson.
Even during service, Wallner said he worked as a Veteran Navigator, he witnessed a different form of isolation. On their first initial connection, some Veterans can be hesitant to share their past, stories that harbor heroism might turn to trigger events that can start to snowball.
“So I know the loneliness not only are you away from family”, said Jacobetti Home for Veterans volunteer Robert Wellman.
“A lot of stigmas exist both through our service but also personally our own personal barrier of not wanting to admit that we have a problem”, said Wallner. Wallner and the team with Northcare are working on getting peer support specialists.
Click here for more information on assistance from the Northcare Network.
