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Veterans march for awareness of issues
By SHAIYLA B. HAKEEM
NEW MIDDLETOWN
Traffic was brought to a halt here Saturday as military veterans and supporters unified to raise awareness that change is needed to support and to save the lives of our nation’s vets.
On this year’s Armed Forces Day, the village hosted Veterans March On: America, a nationwide movement to promote awareness of issues many veterans face. It included 14 locations across the U.S., three of which were in Ohio, with the march beginning simultaneously at noon.
Veterans from all branches and eras of military service chose to be the physical voice for homeless vets, those facing health care issues and their brothers and sisters in arms who chose to end their lives through suicide.
Captain of VMOA, New Middletown local chapter, was Jenny Daily of Bessemer, Pa. She said the suicide rate among military vets is consistently rising, and something needs to be done within the community to help and educate veterans on services, aside from the Veterans Affairs Department, that are available. She had been planning for VMOA for the past three months.
“This event is to bring awareness to the difficulties our veterans have with transferring back into the civilian life,” said Daily, “We all need to unify as one to help support and be there for our veterans.”
Everyone participating in the march received a free T-shirt embellished with the VMOA logo and a hand-held American flag. Local police officers, paramedics and firefighters were on site to participate and control traffic during the peaceful demonstration.
Proudly representing his branch of service with a decorated hat was Vietnam vet David Snyder of New Middletown, who said he read about VMOA in The Vindicator and decided he wanted to be a part of it. He served in the Air Force from 1966-1970 before transitioning into the Reserves until 1972.
“Too many of our veterans are either homeless or committing suicide,” said Snyder, “The government needs to support the vets more.”
Tragedy hit New Middletown seven years ago when a former Army soldier who grew up here was found dead. A letter written by New Middletown native Cheryl Fisher DeBow titled, “The Reason You Are Here is the Reason I Am Not,” was read before the event’s conclusion.
Her son, Army veteran Ryan Yurchison, died in May 2010 of a drug overdose. His death was ruled accidental, but the family believes it was suicide. She was unable to attend Saturday’s event, but wanted to share the story of what happened to her son.
According to DeBow’s letter, Yurchison became anxious, depressed, isolated and withdrawn after his military service, which included a tour to Iraq. He began to act in ways that were not like him. He frequently suffered from flashbacks of Iraq, while driving, which led to numerous speeding tickets because he would drive fast in an effort to get to safety.
He sought help from the VA, which was not able to give him what he needed in a timely manner. Yurchison began to state that he could not keep living. An excerpt from DeBow’s letter read:
“In February or March, 2010, Ryan was so desperate he again went to the VA. He couldn’t take living anymore. He asked them to get him in-patient help. I also called the VA that day telling them he was going to die. He was told there was a four- to six-month waiting list and was turned away. He died two months later. The waiting list was too long.”
Pamphlets and contact information for the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission, the Veterans Crisis Line, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Help Hotline Crisis Center, a free veteran-staffed helpline that can be reached by dialing 211, were provided to march participants. These are organizations than can be used along with VA medical and housing services.
Youngstown Municipal Court Judge Robert Milich, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, was guest speaker for the event. He said it was encouraging to see people getting involved and taking action in an effort to deal with problems that veterans face after returning from combat or transitioning back to civilian life.
“We have to realize that they’ve got special experiences and special things they have gone through,” Milich explained, “Everyone has problems, but the veteran’s problems are a little bit different. It’s going to take a lot more people to [help veterans]; the government can’t do everything.”