Veterans Helping Veterans Adjust to Civilian Life

Posted on 15. Jan, 2010 by admin in Cover Story

Veterans Helping Veterans Adjust to Civilian Life
By Joe Olvera ©, 2009
Former Mayoral candidate Carlos Rivera is up and running again with his Veteran’s Business Association – a group he created to help Veterans, especially those from Vietnam, overcome some of the problems they are still having, even decades after the war has ended. “By conservative estimates, there are still more than 500,000 Vietnam veterans who lead lives of quite desperation,” Rivera said. “They are plagued by serious, war-related readjustment problems.
“These men still face flashbacks to combat, still suffer from feelings of alienation or anger, depression, loneliness and an inability to get close to others, sometimes they face problems with drugs and alcohol, perhaps, even feelings of suicide.”
Sherman E. Roodzant, the national commander of the Disabled Veterans of America, said that when Gerald R. Ford was President of our country, he asked the American public to put Vietnam behind them and forget it. “I can think of no Presidential injunction that has been more effective. As a Vietnam War veteran, myself, I believe it’s both healthful and necessary to put the bitterness and dissension of the war years behind us. But to forget the Vietnam War, its troubled veterans, and their families would be unforgivable.”
Rivera said that Vietnam vets still suffer from flashbacks, even when they are home already, and no longer fighting in that nasty war. One veteran described his challenge as being one of erasing the horrible memories which he brought back with him from the war: “Sharp rattle, orange streaks across the black sky–a sensation of torn steel, woven with hot flesh and blood beside me. God! God whatever God you be, speed my soul on its way but not in endless eternity. Thoughts of home come to me–don’t let me go; please no–I’m afraid!” (Author undisclosed).
Rivera, born and raised in El Paso, Texas, said one of the main issues still
plaguing Vietnam veterans is the fact that they fought in a largely unpopular war. Many of them still suffer flashbacks and other negative and often debilitating memories. “The Veterans Business Association is a non-profit dedicated to helping U.S. Armed Forces veterans, active duty military, and family members with start-up, expansion, or acquisition of small businesses.”
Rivera said that he recently launched Carlos Rivera LLC, a consulting group that focuses on business and non-profit organizational development and career development. He was named the 2009 SBA Veterans’ Small Business Champion of the Year.
Rivera said he envisions bringing even more services to assist veterans in their transition to civilian society. To that end, he is planning several seminars and workshops, including:
April 17 – East El Paso Rotary Club / Fabens Community Corps 2nd Annual Fabulous Fabens Chili Cook-Off in Fabens, TX. Sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society. Contact H.W. “Bill” Sparks at (915) 594-7022.
Rivera also said he already meets with various veterans on Friday, at 8:30 a.m. at El Zarape Restaurant, 6369 Montana (behind Bingo Hall, next to K-Mart). The group is planning a workshop on Post Traumatic Stress Disease, scheduled for March 12, 2010, and a two-day Health Care and Benefits Conference in May.