Scott Lewis
Scott Lewis/Townsquare Media
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When initial reports were coming out about the shooter in Thousand Oaks, some of the first bits of info the media gave us were that this man was a Marine Corp veteran and suffered from P.T.S.D.  I have no idea what demons this killer was facing or what role his P.T.S.D. played, but since tragedy is on our minds, I think it's a great time to take about the mental health of our veterans.

My dad is a Vietnam Vet and there is no way I will ever be able to understand what his personal experience was like.  Same goes for any other veteran in any other war.  If you haven't gone through it, you don't understand it.  So how can you help if you don't truly understand?  There's one thing we're all capable of doing:  listening.  Show someone that you not only appreciate their service, but that you care about how their dealing with their experiences.

If you're not the type of person who is great at deep conversations, you can check out the Veteran's Crisis Line for some ideas.  You can even point someone who needs help in that direction.  They've taken millions of calls and may be a benefit to someone you know.  Our veterans have not only earned our respect, but our attention as well.

 

 

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