Mike, a member of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
He spent years keeping his combat-related emotions locked up—and depression,
anger, and stress kept building in him. A hunting trip with fellow Veterans spent
talking about combat experiences finally prompted him to reach out for help.
Through counseling and with assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA), Mike was able to overcome his challenges.
Make the Connection is a VA campaign that highlights
powerful stories of strength and connection like Mike’s. At MakeTheConnection.net,
Veterans from every military branch, service era, and demographic group speak
about their experiences during and after service in the military, including how
they faced adversity, found support, and moved forward in their lives.
Hundreds
of short videos of Veterans and their families are featured on this highly
accessible online resource. The site also includes reliable information about
mental health and resilience, common life
events and experiences,
and a locator for Veterans’ resources across
the country.
As a
member of VFW, you will discover hundreds of videos from Veterans like you and
information about programs and resources in your community. You can also
encourage other Veterans to explore MakeTheConnection.net, visit our YouTube channel, and “like” the Facebook page. VA support helped Mike,
and it can help you and other Veterans you know, too.