Bakersfield is one of 39 cities nationwide chosen as sites for new Veterans Administration centers, which will focus on providing mental health services for war veterans struggling to readjust to civilian life.
"I think everyone there saw some things we didn't want to see. The second day I was back in Washington D.C. me and a buddy were called 'baby killers' right on the public transit," said U.S. Navy Veteran John Riley
Riley has been coming to the Kern Counseling Center once a week for the past 23 years to get things off his chest. He served with the Navy Seabees in the Vietnam War and has struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for more than a quarter century.
PTSD is a crippling condition affecting tens of thousands of American war veterans, marked by depression, anger and isolation. Last year alone, some 400-thousand veterans were treated for the disorder.
John's wife Vicki was his pen pal during the Vietnam War and says PTSD has taken its toll on their family.
"Sometimes he'd just go into depression. He'd go out in the camp trailer and just stay there. He'd go to the mountain. You didn't know what he was going to do. We went through alot," said Vicki Riley.
PTSD is showing up in alarming numbers among our veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Now, the Veterans Administration is ramping up an out-reach program, providing mental health services like those provided by marriage and family counselor Vernon Valenzuela.
"Our mission will be post traumatic stress order and treating people with readjustment problems," said Vernon Valenzuela with the Kern Counseling Center. Valenzuela is a Vietnam Veteran and still grapples with PTSD himself. He has been tabbed by the V.A. to be the team leader at the new vets center
"And while we realize we're not always going to have veteran counselors, that's what the attempt is, to have fellow veterans counseling veterans," said Valenzuela.
For men like John Riley and their families, no-cost mental health care is a welcome benefit. "You know, it's good to talk to another veteran who knows what you've been through," said John Riley.
PTSD can ultimately lead to suicide. In just the first two months of this year, the Army's suicide rate was the highest in the 30-years the military has been tracking such figures.
Last year, according to a PTSD website, there were 184 confirmed Army and Marine suicides, despite new aggressive campaigns to reduce their incidence.
If you are a war veteran and need help dealing with PTSD, you can contact the V.A. health benefits service center toll free at 1-877-222-vets.
Bakersfield's new Vets center should be open for business by this fall.
