Local veterans speak on ongoing Afghanistan conflict and mental health - WJHG-TV

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BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Last week 13 military members were killed following a suicide bombing at the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan.

With the ongoing conflict, it goes without saying that it’s essential to take veterans’ mental health into consideration at this time.

“Once a Marine, always a Marine, once a soldier always a soldier. And that’s true for all our vets,” David Trogdon, Chaplain (LTC) U.S. Army, Ret., of Hope Project said.

Retired veteran David Trogdon says it’s been a tough time processing all that is going on with the world, whether it be the happenings in Afghanistan or Hurricane Ida making landfall, and even an earthquake in Haiti.

“I may have left the army five years ago, but I’m still a soldier. The soldier in me still wants to fight for freedom. It affects all veterans because we are a community. We do care about one another. When one vet hurts we all hurt,” Trogdon said.

Another veteran also described the impact he’s seeing with mental health and the ongoing issue.

“It’s very important to recognize veteran’s mental health because it affects their daily living and their lifestyle,” Michael A. Butler, Bay County Veterans Service Office Veterans Counselor said.

Butler served some time in the army and now works as a veterans counselor with the bay county veterans service office.

“I actually have a younger brother that’s one-hundred percent PTSD. And I see what being in combat or just being overseas can do. How mentally it can affect the veteran,” Butler said.

He says he openly has veterans feel they are stigmatized and that its something wrong with them. but he and his team re-assure them that it’s not their fault, it is something they should be proud of and essentially wear it as a badge of courage for serving their country.

“We’re all devastated to know that we have soldiers and marines and others in harm’s way in Afghanistan. That affects us all, there’s part of all of us in a way that wants to be there,” Trogdon said.

Trogdon runs the hope project an organization that uses horses to help bring hope to our heroes who may have been injured physically or emotionally. Essentially healing horses healing heroes.

The primary issue Trogdon attempts to tackle with the program is to try and prevent suicides.

“All of us need a purpose, and we need to know our sacrifice and the sacrifice of those who have given their lives. The sacrifice of those who have shed their blood or been away from their family, really meant something,” Trogdon said.

Local programs like HOPE Project and Bay County Veterans Service Office are available for military members who may be finding it difficult to cope with what’s happening in the world.

“If you can get them in and you can get them that treatment, to let them know that someone cares about them. We can prevent a lot of the suicides that are going on,” Butler said.

Both veterans openly encourage those seeking help to reach out and speak with someone. help is available during these tough times.

For more information on the HOPE Project, visit the organization’s Facebook page or call (850) 896-4868.

For more information on Bay County Veterans Service Office, visit the office at 840 West 11th St. Panama City, FL 32401 or call (850) 248-8280.

Copyright 2021 WJHG. All rights reserved.

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