Memorial Day Weekend: The Time of Year To Celebrate Those Who Have Fought For Our Country

Memorial Day weekend is usually the summer kick-off to every year. Thousands of people take their annual beach trips and enjoy the sun, beach, barbeques, and more. However, what most of these people often forget about are those whom we are celebrating: the Veterans.

According to a May 28, 2012 Newsweek magazine article, author and former marine, Anthony Swofford, discusses the increasing number of veterans who commit suicide each year and he even reports that “[a]bout 18 veterans kill themselves each day.” The article emphasizes on the stresses and hardships that the veterans experience when they return from war, such as multiple deployments and the amount of time lagging between deployments, which ultimately may contribute to their suicidal feelings. Another common hardship faced by the veterans is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which, according to the American Psychological Association, is an anxiety disorder in which individuals who have had traumatic experiences may relive these experiences, have flashbacks, and/or have nightmares and their anxious feelings often interfere with their everyday lives. Swofford discusses different types of therapy that have been used on veterans. One type of therapy in particular is prolonged exposure therapy, or treatment in which a patient tape records the most traumatic event they experienced and listens to the recording every day for a week. The therapy is then repeated for three months. According to the article, this has been an effective way for the veterans to face their fears, but can also be quite difficult for the patients to do repeatedly.

In addition, the article discusses the loneliness and isolation that veterans may experience post-combat. Swofford, himself, served as a Marine for four years during the Gulf War and experienced little social interaction post-war, such as working in jobs that involved little human interaction. Lack of social interaction can be harmful to anyone and engaging in social activities is extremely important. One example that he points out is XSports4Vets, which is a group that allows veterans to engage in sports activities with other fellow veterans. Activities such as these can help our veterans feel a sense of community and make them feel more welcomed.

Memorial Day weekend is the perfect time of year to celebrate and give back to those who have fought for our country. Enjoy the beach and barbeques, but do not forget about those who have defended our country. If you know any veterans or any family members of veterans, make an effort to spend time with them and show your appreciation.

Sources:
 http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/05/20/anthony-swofford-on-the-epidemic-of-military-suicides.html

 http://www.apa.org/topics/ptsd/index.aspx