Supporting Disabled American Veterans: "Our Turn To Serve The Ones That Served Us"

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) has spent more than a century standing tall with America’s injured heroes. From its early days of advocacy to help World War I Veterans not face their war injuries alone, to its current mission of direct assistance on a national scale, the DAV has been steadfast in the mission to help veterans of every generation access the support and benefits they’ve earned.

As our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, DAV’s long history of service is a powerful reminder that the freedoms we hold dear have been protected by generations of men and women in uniform who were willing to sacrifice it all for the generations to come. Honoring veterans requires more than gratitude; it requires action.

Challenges Faced by Veterans

Veterans in the United States face many challenges at a disproportionate rate compared to non-veterans. These issues are not always visible, but they can have a major impact on a veteran’s life. Some of the most common challenges include mental health struggles, substance abuse, homelessness, physical disabilities, and difficulty adjusting to life after service.

According to the Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge, 30 percent of veterans have disabilities due to injuries or conditions connected to their service. Among post-9/11 veterans, it is estimated that 300,000 have psychological wounds such as PTSD or traumatic brain injuries. In addition, more than 48,000 veterans are homeless. Other statistics show the emotional impact many veterans experience after returning home. Almost half of veterans report feeling like they do not belong in their own home, and 84 percent feel that the general public does not have enough awareness of the issues veterans face.

These statistics show not only the scope of the problems veterans experience, but also how unsupported many of them can feel after serving. This is especially heartbreaking when we consider how much they have sacrificed to protect and serve our country. Just as it was their duty to protect us, we should also feel a responsibility to support and protect them. We can do this by spreading awareness, listening to their experiences, and supporting programs that help veterans adjust to life after service. Veterans deserve to feel welcomed, valued, and safe in the communities they worked so hard to defend.

DAV In Action

Naomi Mathis was a 23-year-old single mother when she left her job as an administrative assistant and enlisted in the Air Force. She was looking for a career that would provide security for her kids and give her a sense of purpose, which is exactly what she found through service to her country. But after three deployments—two to Kuwait and one to Baghdad—war had taken its toll on her.

Haunted by the sounds of bombs and gunfire, and the grief of losing friend and colleague Staff Sergeant Patrick Griffin Jr. who was killed in a convoy, Mathis found transitioning to civilian life to be a daunting experience; she felt lost outside of her military life.

“I began to feel like I didn’t belong in my own skin,” says Mathis. “I started hearing booms that didn’t exist, seeing tracer rounds that weren’t there. I was very fearful for my children and their safety, but I wasn’t really being very empathetic with them on much of anything. I wasn’t able to connect with them anymore.”

She began looking for a job that was in the government sector. She needed security for her kids and felt that working for the government would provide that. But it wasn’t until Mathis began working as a benefits advocate with DAV that she truly felt she could be a mom again. She realized she could make a profound difference in the lives of her fellow veterans, helping them receive the benefits they’ve earned.

“I love when someone says, ‘You haven’t seen this one before.’ I take the stance of, not only have I seen it, I’ve lived it. Now let’s get you through it. I can help walk you through this mess,’” says Mathis. “It gives me a chance to encourage them too. There’s been many tears shed in my office.”

Through her work with DAV, Mathis helps members who are fresh out of military service as well as veterans who have been out for a while and still need assistance in filing for benefits, and that’s meaningful to her.

“This means the world to me,” says Mathis. “I’m a Puerto Rican combat veteran from New York. Whether it be a World War II veteran that needs an increase in his evaluation for hearing loss, a 40-year-old retiree that worked behind a desk their whole military career, or a 21-year-old Afghanistan War veteran that stepped on a landmine and is missing both of her legs—DAV is us!”

For Mathis, paying it forward to her fellow veterans and their families is what matters.

“There is nothing better than being involved in an organization whose sole function is to make sure that I am able to continue on, to take care of my family and really see that come around full circle,” she said. “To be able to help the widow of the man who was killed on our convoy, and help her understand her benefits. That’s so powerful. That’s what I want people to know, that, with DAV, it works.”

Naomi Mathis' story, like so many others, is both relatable and real. It highlights lasting emotional impact that serving in the Military has on many veterans, including challenges that are faced when returning to civilian life. Her experience with the DAV is a great example of how the organization works. Not only was she able to utilize the resources available to her, she was able to gain employment with the DAV, allowing her to help her fellow veterans in need.

Why Donate

Donations help provide no cost, life-changing support to veterans and their survivors by providing assistance with employment, transition resources, transportation to medical appointments, and expert assistance with VA benefits claims. They also advocate for better veteran policies and programs to help veterans live with dignity and purpose.

Each donation helps ensure that veterans receive the lifelong support they deserve after serving our country.

Links

For more information on the Disabled American Veterans Organization

https://www.ihelpveterans.org/

Find your local DAV Office

https://www.dav.org/find-your-local-office/

Sources:

Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge. (n.d.). Veteran facts. https://combatwounded.org/goals-and-achievements/veteran-facts/

DAV History. (n.d.). Pencils on Street Corners. https://www.dav.org/wp-content/uploads/DAVHistory_DAVWW.pdf

I Help Veterans. (n.d.). Mother, warrior, advocate. https://www.ihelpveterans.org/blogs/mother-warrior-advocate