Resources and efforts aim to address common challenges

by Jennifer Dawson

Every single veteran’s grave in Vermont received a remembrance wreath on ‘Wreaths Across America Day’ in 2023 in order to honor those who have served. For context, there are 4,801 vets buried in military cemeteries in the state and about 3,000 at the Vermont Veterans Cemetery in Randolph Center, highlighting that the state has gone to great lengths to honor those who have fallen. Beyond Wreaths Across America day and Veterans Day, there are several ways that Vermont’s veterans are honored and supported — particularly when it comes to addressing some of the most common challenges that America’s veterans face. 

Fostering a strong community in multiple ways

A celebration that took place in late 2023 for Marine Corps veterans at the Bristol American Legion celebrated the Corps’ 248th birthday. According to NBC5, part of the tradition is having the youngest vet in the building slice and serve the first piece of cake to the oldest vet. Eldon Sharyn, who served in the Marine Corps form 1952-1955, was 2023’s oldest vet in the building at 89 years old. “It’s good to see old friends,” Sharyn remarked. Having lived in Vermont since the early 1960s, Sharyn said that he’s felt the state support: “Probably No. 1 in the country.” 

When aiming to address major challenges that many veterans throughout the country face, one former bike shop was unveiled as new residences for vets who had experienced homelessness, a project that may help respond to the state’s housing crisis. VTDigger delves into the privately led project, in which “Base Camp” consists of eight one-bedroom apartments on the ground floor of a three-story building. “It’s so modern,” Douglas Lloyed, 61, a former service member said of his bedroom’s ceiling fan, which featured a remote control and light. “I can’t ask for anything more.” 

Vermont’s warm community is nothing new — one 2015 article highlights veteran Don Winterhalter of New Hampshire, who had his dog tags returned in an unlikely way. According to WMUR, the tags were discovered in a Vietnamese backyard in 1987. Dinh Vu, who lives in Vermont, was asked by his mother-in-law (who still lives in Vietnam) to return the tags. According to WMUR, Vu spoke to Don Edwards of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, who happened to be Vu’s neighbor — and who tracked down Winterhalter. Following Vu’s return of the dog tags, Winterhalter said that getting them back ‘brought back a flood of memories and emotion,’ according to WMUR. “In Vietnam, I learned if you found something that belongs to somebody, you should return it,” said Vu. “So I did my part. Mission accomplished.” 

The Vietnam veteran who spent nine months overseas with the 82nd Airborne Division noted that he didn’t remember losing the tags — though he did have them replaced back then due to the wrong blood type that was embossed on the tin. Military dog tags are imperative to a service member’s uniform and identity, and are essential in identifying service members in the event of an emergency. As a veteran, dog tags remain as a reminder to the time an individual spent serving, and can hold immense sentimental value. If lost, replacing military dog tags as a veteran can be done through The Institute of Heraldry by filling out a form and mailing it with a copy of the DD-214 or other discharge papers.

Addressing mental health among Vermont vets

Mental health among veterans is an ever present challenge, highlighting the value in a supportive community as well as resources. “There’s an awful lot of our veterans in Vermont that suffer from PTSD, who were in Iraq or Afghanistan and saw some pretty awful things,” said Susan Sweester, who works with Wreaths Across America. “War is a challenge. It’s just an awful thing for a person to go through,” she added. 

From challenges such as depression to PTSD, anxiety, stress, and trouble sleeping, addressing the challenges is imperative. In Vermont, the veteran suicide rate has been higher than the national rate almost every year from 2005 to 2016, according to the veteran suicide data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, effectively highlighting an increasingly concerning statistic. Vermont’s uplifting veteran community is imperative for supporting the state’s veterans, though resources and advancements to address mental health on a larger scale can make a world of difference as well.

In regard to mental health, the South Burlington Vet Center serves as one option for Vermon’s veterans seeking support. The Vet Center offers services for veterans, service members, and their families that include counseling for needs like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST). Additionally, it’s noted that the Vet Center can connect individuals with more support in VA and the community. In regard to lifesaving treatments for veterans and support on a larger scale, the Breakthrough Therapies Act has great potential to change the lives of many struggling with mental health issues. 

Veterans across the United States face a variety of challenges, from mental health to homelessness. In Vermont, veterans are supported through local celebrations, resources, projects, and large scale efforts that aim to proactively address such issues.