Members of the UH community came together to examine the often overlooked issue of post-traumatic stress in soldiers – a matter that has left an endless number of veterans with no where to turn but the streets.
The UH Veterans Services Office and Psychological Research and Service Center hosted a screening, along with a panel discussion, for Dan Lohaus’ When I Came Home, a documentary examining the lives of U.S. veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, Wednesday at the UC, Pacific Room.
Among the panelists were Peter Norton, UH professor of psychology and director of UH’s Anxiety Disorder Clinic, Allen Grundy, manager of UH Veterans Services Office and Thomas B. Mitchell, counselor and director of the U.S. Veterans Initiatives’ Houston office.
The documentary captures the life of Herold Noel who is a homeless Iraq war veteran suffering from PTSD.
In America, statistics show that there are more than 200,000 homeless veterans. Lohaus’ inspiration for the film came from these same statistics and he hopes its message is one that can make a difference.
"We got about 150 thousand (Vietnam vets), and when you’re homeless and you live on the street, your life expectancy shortens and I just felt if something wasn’t done to call attention to the fact that we had so many homeless vets in the street that they would die," Lohaus said.
Lohaus, whose original intent for the film was to focus solely on Vietnam veterans, began filming in 2002.
"I’ve always been interested in the Vietnam War and its affect on the people who fought it," he said.
The film focuses on Noel who is diagnosed with PTSD only to be denied his benefits as a war veteran by the Veterans Administration. Noel’s daily battles (while speaking out to congressmen) and numerous Veterans services (seeking out all the help he can get) are apparent throughout the film.
Although Noel’s return home was far from pleasant, he continues to persevere through numerous obstacles.
After filling out stacks of paperwork required by the veterans administration and being diagnosed with PTSD, he is denied any compensation benefits. Persistent in speaking about his situation, he meets the founder of the largest Iraq veteran advocacy organization, Paul Rieckhoff.
Once in the public eye he travels to the White House for the first time where he meets former first lady Hilary Clinton. Slowly, Noel’s fate changes when an anonymous contributor grants him his own apartment. Since coming back from Iraq, Noel finally has a place to call home.
Mitchell, a Vietnam veteran and UH alumnus, believes the film sheds light on often disregarded problems that plague many veterans.
"I think the movie is very timely – hopefully opening some eyes…. A lot of these problems we thought were addressed were after the Vietnam war, we thought we wouldn’t have those same problems again, but unfortunately – in a lot of ways – it looks like we haven’t learned," Mitchell said.
Freedom From Fear, a mental health advocacy organization, reports about 30 percent of men and women who return from combat zones suffer from PTSD and for several years may remain with emotional numbness or provoking frightening flashbacks.
Mitchell, who is a Vietnam Vet himself and a UH alumnus, said the primary objective should be forming a support group for veterans – whether it be from as far back as the Korean war to the Iraq war – these were soldiers who fought for our country and deserve our support.
"The only way people can get through those things is with support. And actually it will pay for itself in the long run, if we get them through that and (help them to) be productive citizens, it’s a lot better then having someone that’s going to be hospitalized, not working, having miserable lives, and we need to provide the system," Mitchell said.
Mitchell explained Critical Service Intervention, a service offered by VIH, which involves a series of professional doctors assisting veterans to get back on their feet. Mitchell said many veterans have already reached critical stages of PTSD, only to end up homeless and using drugs and alcohol.
"Hopefully we can provide these services earlier when they don’t have to bottom out like that…. A lot of these guys are way off into it; that’s their way of hiding PTSD, alcohol and drugs," Mitchell said.
While Lohaus filmed a segment in San Diego, he said approximately 400 veterans were actively attempting to get into supportive housing programs, but only seven beds were available within San Diego County.
"The fact that the government won’t put the money in, the resources (to build housing programs like Veterans Village of San Diego) … the (program) in San Diego has an 85 percent success rate, it’s a real solution, homeless vets come in, and 85 percent of them leave self sufficient, clean, sober, and it just crushed me," Lohaus said.
For Lohaus, one of the hardest moments when making the film was realizing the government’s lack of funding to assist homeless veterans, but it was that moment that drove his motivation even further.
"It was kind of my sadness and my anger about the whole issue that drove me to keep making the film… It was the hardest moment, but also an inspiring moment, too."
Lohaus’ main objective of the film was to bring up an important issue that faces our government today.
"That was the point: Let’s get these guys off the streets and let’s make sure this doesn’t happen to another generation (of) soldiers, and in order to do that we have to actually show people that," Lohaus said.
Mitchell believes Iraqi war veterans might be forced into the same situations if resources continue to be limited.
"You can expect three, four or five years after the war, if these guys haven’t received some sort of support and treatment, then they’ll be heading down the same road as the Vietnam vets," Mitchell said.
The documentary can be purchased online at www.whenicamehome.com.
