Honoring Those Who Serve on 9/11

Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder and president of Give an Hour™

Special to Veterans Advantage

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky on the morning of September 11, 2001. Indeed, September typically brings clear blue skies to the mid-Atlantic region of the country, and that particular day was a perfect example. Though originally from California, I had moved to our nation’s capitol during the 1980s for graduate school and had grown accustomed to the beautiful September sky. I was driving home after dropping off my oldest daughter at kindergarten when I decided to stop at our local grocery store to pick up a few items for the week. As I placed my items onto the conveyer built, the cashier commented that he had just heard a concerning story on the radio about a plane crashing into one of the twin towers in New York City . . . All of the customers in line shifted uneasily and exchanges glances. I left the store quickly and turned on the news as I drove home.  

Every American adult can pinpoint exactly where they were on 9/11 when they heard the news that we were under attack, and most of us can recall exactly how we spent that day and the next several.  We were in shock as we watched a national tragedy unfold before our eyes—over and over on every television station and every Web site. That day changed so much. It set in motion a series of events and decisions that continue to affect so many lives 10 years later.

Our country went to war 10 years ago, and we remain at war today. Over 2.2 million men and women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. Over 6,000 service members have died in these wars and tens of thousands have come home with visible and invisible injuries resulting from their experience in combat. Many of the men and women who are currently serving were in elementary school 10 years ago and certainly could not have imagined the path  their lives would take as a result of that horrific day.

While some Americans decided to serve our country by joining the military effort, others chose to focus on caring for those who come home from war. Thousands of organizations and efforts sprung up after 9/11 to support those who serve and their families. During the first few years of the war in Iraq efforts at home focused on creating care packages to ship overseas so that our men and women fighting there would know our country supported them. Bumper stickers that read “Support Our Troops” became a common sight. Clearly this was a very different America than the one that failed to welcome home veterans from Vietnam.

But the Iraq War ground on and the fighting in Afghanistan intensified. Homefront efforts to support the men and women of our armed forces began to take into account the reality that many of our soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors were serving four, five, and even six tours of duty. And we began to focus on providing support for the families—of the fallen, of the injured, of those who came home to a struggling economy and to an uncertain future.

My own organization, Give an Hour™, was founded six years ago out of concern for the mental health of those who experience the brutality of war and with awareness that war comes home to affect the wives, husbands, children, and other loved ones of those who serve. Give an Hour™ was founded with the belief that we in the mental health community have important knowledge and expertise to offer and to share during this time of war. This is an opportunity for the mental health community to do our part to serve our country, by offering free services to those who serve, their families, and their communities. It is an opportunity to fill gaps in care and service by joining with our colleagues in the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to help those who fight heal from the invisible injuries of war.  

Yet, despite the efforts of thousands of organizations that have formed since 9/11 and despite the impressive efforts by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to develop and provide critical resources for service members, far too many men, women, children, and families within our military community are struggling with the aftermath of almost a decade of war.

We can and must do more. Lives and futures are at stake. We must continue to explore and understand how to reach, how to support, and how to treat those affected by the brutality of war so that they and their families can lead the healthy and productive lives they deserve.

Give an Hour™ is joining with mental health partners including the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Worker, and other state and national mental health associations to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on our country by asking all mental health professionals to support those who serve and their families.

We are asking our mental health colleagues to make a commitment by 9/11 to join an organization like Give an Hour™ or another pro bono effort in their community, or to give a talk in their community about the issues that affect those who serve and their families. You can learn more about our initiative and the national 9/11 tribute campaign we are supporting by visiting http://giveanhour.blogspot.com/p/911-day-of-service.html.

Each one of us can do something to assist those who bear the burden of war—and some of us can do more. Regardless of how we feel about the policy that placed them in harm’s way, the men and women who serve our country sacrifice a great deal. They volunteer to do what is required to ensure our safety and security, and they ask little in return.

As we mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11 we have an opportunity to refocus our attention and renew our commitment to our returning troops and their families. We have the chance to ensure that all of those who serve our country come home to the services they need, the support they deserve, and the understanding and respect that a truly grateful nation can provide.

Give an Hour™, providing free mental health services to military personnel and their loved ones, at www.giveanhour.org.

Editors Note: Give an Hour™ is a strategic partner of Veterans Advantage. Learn more about our partnership with Give an Hour™.

Veterans Advantage is also hosting a special online PTS Transition Center for its members, with customized news and resources to help in this vital area.