By Amanda Mineer
I wish my job wasnāt necessary. I wish our veterans didnāt need my help, but as long as they do, Iāll be there for them. This is personal for me. From Vietnam to Afghanistan, our veterans continue to struggle with PTSD, as well as receiving their benefits from the Veterans Administration. Approximately 20% of vets suffer from PTSD.
Some are able to live relatively normal lives. They work. They have families. They function. Many others crave a normal life, but they just canāt get there. Thatās where I step in. My passion is working hand-in-hand with veterans to navigate the VAās red tape and get the help they need and have earned with their service.
My uncles served in Vietnam and my brother joined the Air Force, so Iāve been around the military life as long as Iāve been alive. My family was full of flag-waving patriots. Holidays like Memorial Day always meant so much for us, but as Iāve gotten to know our veterans, Iāve come to realize Memorial Day means so much more than beer and barbeque.
Itās about not only remembering those who have fallen, but also recognizing that many who survived are still reliving the horrors they experienced. In fact, we shouldnāt need a holiday for people to appreciate and respect our vets.
PTSD doesnāt just affect the person who has it. It takes a terrible toll on spouses, children, and extended families. Iāve seen it first-hand. Many soldiers who received care packages from me returned home and I got to know them, but there was one in particular I grew very close to. In Iraq, he served in the Army.
When he came home, I could see he had changed dramatically. He just wasnāt the same person. I opened my home to him and let him stay with me until he felt independent enough to leave. Now, I can recognize PTSD before the person who has it lets me know.
The VA has done some good things on behalf of our veterans, but clearly things need to get better. Our vets shouldnāt have to deal with government bureaucracy. They shouldnāt receive hard to understand replies from the VA. The bottom line is I will stop at nothing to make the process less overwhelming for our vets.
Iāll fight for them to ensure they feel cared for and not neglected. While in combat, many soldiers feel a sense of comradery with those around them. Often, they lose that when they return home, and for those with PTSD, a feeling of isolation sets in. Thatās unacceptable.
As I said, I wish my job wasnāt necessary, but this is why I became an attorney. My message to our vets is this. Youāre not on your own. There are plenty of people like me who dedicate their lives to helping those Americans who need our help the most.
Thereās nothing wrong with beer and barbecue. Just remember who Memorial Day is about.
After witnessing a close friend struggle with PTSD and a veteranās disability claim for several years, Amanda Mineer decided to apply her advocacy skills towards helping veterans navigate the frustrating and complicated VA system. Since joining the Veteranās Law Groupin 2013, Amanda has given veterans the support they need to navigate the difficult claims processes. Her compassion for veterans, along with her ability to translate legal jargon into easy-to-understand language, allows her to help veterans get the benefits they deserve. She also serves as an educator to VSOs/VSRs across the country to help them better serve veterans in the early stages of their claims.
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