Bill Rider, a longtime advocate for warriors who are dealing with post traumatic stress (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), will be interviewed tonight on CNN International at 10:00 p.m. PST.
Rider will be speaking about PTSD and his belief that it is a national crisis that deserves more attention from both government officials and the general public (CNN International is carried by most local cable companies, including Time Warner).
In 2001, Rider, 65, a Vietnam veteran who was wounded in action three times, awarded a Purple Heart, and has himself suffered from PTSD, co-founded ACVOW (American Combat Veterans of War), a non-profit organization comprised of veteran volunteers who are committed to guiding our nation's warriors on their path to living a productive and fulfilling life after combat.
Located in the heart of Camp Pendleton, ACVOW's signature characteristic is its combat veteran volunteers who mentor, advise and assist other veterans, active duty personnel and military families suffering from post traumatic PTSD and TBI.
'At least 35 percent of the troops that come back from Iraq or Afghanistan are affected by either PTSD and/or TBI, but I think the numbers are even higher than that,' says Rider, who is admittedly outspoken and has had his run-ins with both Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration but still tries his best to work within the system to help his fellow warriors. 'The young ones are the toughest to get through to because of the stigma that goes with PTSD, the stigma that having PTSD means you are weak,' says Rider. 'The truth is, PTSD is a normal occurrence that happens when you put normal humans in abnormal situations.'
ACVOW provides a forum, or safe zone, called the Safe Warrior Outreach Program, where Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans come together and share their combat and post combat experiences with other veterans. They also exchange dialogue directly with those who share common challenges and can offer assistance in coping with the adjustment to peaceful society. Combat veterans are assured that it is indeed normal and suitable to seek further counseling if necessary.
ACVOW also helps our warriors locate the resources available from both the military and the VA to help with their adjustment. And it works with the entire family.
'When a warrior is affected, so is the rest of the family,' says Rider. "The spouse, the kids, everyone suffers when you come home from war with mental issues. We see abuse, and crime, and homelessness, and suicide, you name it. I was told by an Army General many years ago that when I came back from Vietnam, I'd be different. He was right. There is help, but we all need to do more, as a nation, to help our warriors make the transition from combat to civilian life. This is a national crisis, and believe me it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.'
