John Henry Parker is the founder of a new veterans and families project. He was referred to our site by Charles Figley, an expert in the field of trauma and compassion fatigue. John's son is a returning veteran from Iraq.
John's web site is in the process of developing a survey for veterans and families about the effects of combat stress:
Veterans and Families.org
"Nobody left behind"
Mission Statement:
"To provide immediate assistance to U.S. Veterans and their families via toll-free information and help lines, ongoing surveys and needs assessments and by providing a comprehensive web portal/search engine specifically for Veterans, families and employers."
Please bookmark this page. We are developing our resource infrastructure, formal web site and programs. Please check back for updates. To inquire about how you can help us, make a donation, or provide assistance, please email to support@veteransandfamilies.org or contact John Henry Parker, founder of VeteransandFamilies.org at 916-422-5005. Why is the Veterans and Families Organization Needed?
9/11 changed the nation and world. U.S. veterans, along with our allies, are now engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan and fighting a global war on terror, a war that may be fought other places abroad as well as within the U.S. homeland. This war requires more sacrifice, more vigilance, and more support for veterans and their families who carry the heaviest burden.
One place for immediate help. While there are hundreds of government and non-profit veterans programs, there is no one place to go for immediate help. Response time is critical when veterans and their families are facing a dizzying array of urgent problems, including injury rehabilitation, post-traumatic stress, alcoholism and drug use, and employment and housing.
A new generation of U.S. veterans (and their families) needs our understanding and support. Each generation of veterans faces unique challenges. Of the 3.2 million veterans who served in the Vietnam War, for example, over 500,000 continue to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with an alarming suicide rate. Veterans in the current era, including those who have served since 9/11, face age-old challenges as well as new and different challenges, including fighting a continuous global war on terror where the battlefield could be 10,000 miles away or one mile from home.
A grateful nation can do more for U.S. veterans. Lets not make the same mistakes we did during the Vietnam era. We never ASKED veterans and their families what they needed. No wonder we failed to understand, even when there was a readiness to embrace veterans returning from war cost veterans and their families, as well as our society, dearly. Veteransandfamilies.org asks you to embrace the motto of all our soldiers in the field: "Nobody left behind."
We will be keeping in contact with veterans and families and your input will be greatly appreciated in developing a survey that will help others in our situation. Thank you for all your efforts John. Telling the story and getting spreading the word is half the battle. The families of combat veterans need the resources you are providing. Please tell your son thank you and welcome home from all the members of The Aftermath of War.
