Program aims to help vets 'reintegrate'

Higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, divorce and financial strain among current U.S. military members prompted Utah legislators last session to pass a bill that, starting today, will help Armed Forces members returning from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A press conference today at Fort Douglas will kick off a campaign aimed at helping military members with "reintegration" back into civilian and family life after deployment.

About one third of Utah military members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress, and the divorce rate among recent combat veterans is on the rise, according to a study being released today that was funded by the Utah Department of Human Services.

The hope of HB407's sponsor was that the primary beneficiaries of the legislation, which Gov. John Huntsman Jr. signed last April, would be returning reservists who were called to duty for up to two years, leaving their families and careers behind.

"There's a lot of transitional issues they are dealing with," said Rep. Tim Cosgrove, D-Murray.

Reservists, he added, can be a less cohesive group and more spread out than active-duty soldiers or National Guard members. As a result, Cosgrove said reservists sometimes don't think of themselves as being eligible for veteran benefits when they return home.

A big problem, Cosgrove said, is that many active-duty military members — and veteran reservists in particular — aren't aware of the counseling services available to them and their families.

The new awareness campaign is intended to change that with a one-stop shopping place, or Web site, with information on where veterans can learn more about benefits and services.

"The hope we have is that it makes them and their families aware that there is help out there for them, that they're not in this alone" said Terry Schow, director of the Utah Division of Veterans' Affairs.

By Oct. 1, the Web site, www.veterans.utah.gov, should be ready to assist vets in their search for how to access certain services, such as family counseling. In the next few weeks, radio spots will air similar messages for veterans.

Meanwhile, Schow said veterans are encouraged to call 1-800-894-9497 for more information. Utah's 161,000 veterans can also access information on benefits and services at www.ut.ngb.army.mil/veterans.

HB407 generated about $210,000 in one-time state money to fund the Web site and radio spots and to help cover counseling costs for veterans. Cosgrove said whether he will go back to the Legislature for more money will depend on how families are served.

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com