<div>Hi, my name is Kevin.  
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<div><strong>I am seeking to spread social awareness and acceptance of PTSD among our U.S. veterans. </strong>
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<div><em>"Nearly 1 in 4 active duty members showed signs of a mental health condition, according to a 2014 study in JAMA Psychiatry."</em>
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<div>As of 11 Sep 2024, I am hoping to bring awareness to this cause and will be donating the proceeds to (3) organizations, equally:
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<li>NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
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<li>Semper Fi &amp; America's Fund
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<li>Wounded Warrior Project
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<div>The first 1/3 of the proceeds will be donated to NAMI:
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<div><em>"Through advocacy, public awareness, support, and education, NAMI works to ensure individuals with mental illness live fulfilling, healthy lives."</em>
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<div>I am a U.S. Marine veteran, who served in Afghanistan in 2010/2011. In 2019, I was diagnosed with PTSD through the VA. I began counseling sessions and learned to talk through my problems. I slowly began to learn about mental health services (both VA and civilian) and the tremendous help they can provide. I learned to ask for help.
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<div>While serving on active duty in the Marine Corps, I observed the negative effects of disclosing a mental illness. <strong> </strong>In the Marine Corps, having to go see a psychologist or psychiatrist was known as: <em>"having to go see the wizard,"</em> and in many cases made a Marine non-deployable, and in even some cases, ended their careers.
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<div><em>"One of NAMI’s goals is to remove the stigma associated with mental illness. They serve this goal primarily through education initiatives like their NAMI Family-to-Family class, which serves to support families of people with mental illness, or their NAMI Homefront class, which works with the families of military service members and veterans who have mental health conditions. These education initiatives work with NAMI’s community-focused mission."</em>
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<div>The next 1/3 of proceeds will be donated to the Semper Fi &amp; America's Fund:
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<div>"For 20 years, The Fund has supported the brave men and women who served to protect our Nation’s freedom, helping them live full and independent lives after sustaining life-changing injuries or critical illnesses.
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<div>The Semper Fi Fund has personally assisted me in countless ways; supporting my physical, mental, and spiritual well being. Their personnel (specifically Jill, Jay, and Peter) personally invested time and resources into me, my children's book series (<em>The Adventures of the Daredevil Grasshopper</em>), and even my dog Mikey. I am eternally grateful to them for their support and assistance.
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<div>The final 1/3 of the funds raised - will support The Wounded Warrior Project.
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<div><em>"Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization that helps veterans and active duty service members. More than 52,000 servicemen and women have been physically injured in recent military conflicts. 500,000 living with invisible wounds, from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder. 320,000 experiencing debilitating brain trauma."</em>
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<div>In addition to the Marine Corps, I also spent 10 years in public education. I served as a middle school math teacher and found it very rewarding. I worked with 7th and 8th graders and I believe I made a significant, lasting impact on about 15% of my kids. However, due to my PTSD, I left public school teaching.
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<div>I decided it was important to try to educate people as to the complications, negative stigma, stereotypes, and discrimination that patients suffering from mental illness experience. I decided perhaps I could try to make a difference and find ways/means to help others like me. Other U.S. Veterans...
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<div><em>"It has been reported that 30% of troops returning home from the Iraq war have experienced some type of mental health problem; difficulties have usually included anxiety, depression, nightmares, anger, and inability to concentrate."</em>
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<div>Personally, having served in Afghanistan, I suffer from survivor's guilt...
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<div><em>"Survivor guilt (or survivor's guilt; also called survivor syndrome or survivor's syndrome and survivor disorder or survivor's disorder) is a mental condition that occurs when a person believes they have done something wrong by surviving a traumatic or tragic event when others did not, often feeling self-guilt."</em>
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<div><em>"15 to 17% of troops returning from Iraq in 2004 experienced acute stress or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)."</em>
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<div>While deployed to Afghanistan, I served with CJTF-101 (101st Airborne). <strong>As of 5 June 2011, 131 soldiers had been killed during this deployment, the highest death toll for the 101st Airborne in any single deployment since the Vietnam War.</strong>
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<div><em>"It’s important to understand that having symptoms of PTSD is not a character flaw or a sign of personal weakness. Brain imaging shows that PTSD is a biological problem in the brain.</em><strong><em> </em></strong><em>Supporting your brain with healthy habits, including good nutrition, exercise, supplements, and meditation can help. "</em>
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<div>These are just some of the conditions that U.S. service members (like myself) suffer from and there are many, many more...
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<div>There is so much more I could say on this topic, but I will end it here. I ask you to please consider making a small donation to this cause. Please consider making a difference in this fight...
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<div><strong>I am calling this effort: OPERATION PURPLE MIND</strong>
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<div><em>"A diversified portfolio of charities seeking to spread social awareness and acceptance of PTSD among our U.S. veterans."</em>
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<div>I am very lucky because I receive VA healthcare. However, many veterans do NOT and some are not even aware of the programs, assistance and aid that are available to them! Thank you for learning about these charitable organizations and the help they provide to our veteran community, and their fight against mental illness.  I believe this cause is important and has been overlooked for too long. I hope you agree. Thank you for taking the time to read about this campaign. Together we can help U.S. veterans overcome PTSD!
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<div>God bless!
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Arthur Bornschein

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Ellyn Russo

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Kevin Scherer

Beating PTSD & Mental Illness Among U.S. Veterans

Beating PTSD & Mental Illness Among U.S. Veterans

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