Community welcomes veterans, families at stadium

Event says big ‘thank you,' gets input on services

Friday, Feb. 27, 2009

It's off-season at Regency Furniture Stadium, and while the stands are empty, there's a special message on the big-screen.

"Welcome veterans. Thanks for your service," the text reads, as an American flag waves in the background.

A small group of veterans, families and active service members met at the stadium Saturday afternoon to discuss services for themselves or their loved ones. The meeting, organized by the Tri-County Council Regional Veterans Health Advisory Committee, was aimed at hearing the frustrations and concerns of service members so decision-makers can make informed changes.

"We've been having a lot of struggles," said Micherle Wallace, whose husband, Mike, has been deployed to Iraq three times with the U.S. Navy. She said her family has been fractured in the process.

And since Mike Wallace has returned, Micherle Wallace of Lexington Park said it has been difficult for them to access the services they need and for her husband admit that he needs help.

"I have all my fingers and toes intact," said Mike Wallace, adding that some of his friends suffered much more than he did in the conflict. "

However, he said that for him, home life has proven more difficult in some ways than deployment.

"There, I can handle one problem: That's staying alive. Here, I'm surrounded by issues that are overwhelming," he said.

"My belief is that communities need to be much better informed about this," said Constance A. Walker, a retired captain from the U.S. Navy. Walker, who heads the the Southern Maryland chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is also a member of the advisory committee and met with veterans and their families at the stadium last weekend.

"It's not about us talking, it's about us listening," Walker said to the attendees before they split up into discussion groups.

"We wanted to get vets to come in and open dialogue," said Charles County Commissioner Samuel N. Graves Jr., also a member of the Veterans Regional Advisory Committee. Graves said a main problem for many area veterans is a lack of accessibility to services, which are often located at some distance in Washington, D.C., or Baltimore.

"We think that maybe some people are falling through the cracks," said Graves (D).

After the discussion groups finished meeting, all attendees rejoined to hear the results of the conversation. In addition to the long distance from services, a main concern was a lack of information about the types of care available. Veterans and their families also mentioned that service members needed more support when trying to re-enter society.

"Employers need to understand what to look for when employing vets and people with PTSD [posttraumatic stress disorder]," Walker said. "I think community stakeholders, employers, school systems have to be educated about that piece of what they see."

"We have a deep obligation to honor the service of people who serve their country and make sure they receive the attention they need," said Charles County Commissioner Gary V. Hodge (D), chairman of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland. "This input will flow to the committee and then to the full Tri-County Council, and then we will to talk to … whoever we need to talk to get service."

brodgers@somdnews.com