What can you do if you have PTSD?

Eugene Cordell Vail, Vietnam Combat Veteran

I served in the 25th Infantry Division - 3rd Brigade - 27th Infantry Company (WOLFHOUNDS) - as Platon Leader of the 2nd Platoon.

I served in Vietnam from Jan 1970 to Dec 1970. I was awarded the Bronze Star for my service in combat.

I have a 50% over all service connected disability 30% for PTSD 20% for Hearing Loss 10% for Tinnitus.

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If there is a way - we will find it!




 

HOW BAD IS THIS PROBLEM?

22 veterans commit suicide each day: VA report
Friday Feb 1, 2013 4:36 PM
By Bill Briggs, NBC News contributor
Click here to read the article




 

TOO LATE ONE MORE TIME!

I don't normally find myself crying at church but I did today. I just got back from 2 weeks in Utah where I attended a Young Living Oils Convention. At the convention they announced that they had created a set of essential oils that seems to be helping veterans with PTSD. Being a veteran myself, I was so excited to lean that, and was determined to take those oils and help as many veterans as I could. While at the convention my business partner reminded me that our friend's X was a Vietnam veteran and had PTSD really bad. I decided that I was going to contact her and see if I could help him. However I decided to wait until I got back from the convention to call her. I got home yesterday (Saturday). This morning (Sunday) as I was waiting for church to start my business partner sent me this text message:
 

 

I was so devastated. Just 2 weeks too late to start helping him. Maybe it was already too late. We will never know. I know I cannot help everyone who has PTSD. However as I think about that I am reminded of the story of the man walking along the beach throwing star fish back into the ocean that had been caught on the beach as the tide went back out. Someone saw him throwing them back into the ocean and  told him he was wasting his time because he could not save them all. He picked up another star fish, threw it back in the ocean and then looked at the person and said, "I saved that one". The terrorists don't need to come do another 9-11 in America. They are already doing worse damage than that by what the war has done to so many of our veterans.  I don't know what I am going to do. I don't know how I am going to do it. But I will not rest until I have started helping these veterans who have given so much and come so far just to find a dead end street in their life. I hope you will be willing to join me in this effort to help them.

 

 
We have all heard the story about the man who was throwing star fish back into the ocean who were stranded on the beach after high tide. Someone questioned his actions saying, "you can't same them all". And of course his famous words as he picked up one more star fish and threw it back into the ocean, "I SAVED THAT ONE". Even if we can only save one person with PTSD, it will be worth all the time and effort of a life time!

Here is an excellent book about how Young Living Essential Oils can be used for PTSD

Here is a wonderful web page by Maryville University for Helping Veterans with PTSD

https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/psychology/understanding-a-veteran-with-ptsd

Young Living Essential Oils Has Created 2 Essential Oil Kits

That May Help With PTSD 

There have been numerous people who have tried these oils and now say that they can sleep through the night and the nightmares have stopped.  Soldiers are not the only ones with PTSD.

To see see a description of these oils kits, click here go to our Young Living Oils Web Page

Then select the CATALOG icon and search for "Freedom Sleep". That will bring up the page giving you information about the Freedom Sleep and Freedom Release Essential Oils Kits.
 

MORE INFORMATION!

If you would like more information about these oils or if you would like to join us in this effort to help those suffering with PTSD, you can contact me at:

 

OTHER WEB PAGES FOR PTSD HELP

LINKS FROM THE MAKE THE CONNECTION WEB PAGE:

Explore these resources for more information about Veterans experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder.

This eight-page booklet explains in detail the various ways to treat PTSD effectively and debunks some myths about treatment. Understanding PTSD Treatment Booklet

This website provides information, resources, and practical advice for Veterans, their family and friends, and the public when dealing with trauma. National Center for PTSD

VA provides world-class health care to eligible Veterans. Most Veterans qualify for cost-free health care services, although some Veterans must pay modest copays for health care or prescriptions. Explore your eligibility for health care using VA's Health Benefits Explorer tool and find out more about the treatment options available to you. VA's PTSD Program Locator

If you are a combat Veteran, you can bring your DD214 to your local Vet Center and speak with a counselor or therapist — many of whom are Veterans themselves — for free, without an appointment, and regardless of your enrollment status with VA. In addition, any Veteran who was sexually traumatized while serving in the military is eligible to receive counseling regardless of gender or era of service. Vet Centers

Click here to see full text from the web page

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LINKS US GOVERNMENT WEB PAGES:

National Center for PTSD
This is a website that gives very detailed information about PTSD, its effects and treatment, and will give you many resources for support.
www.ptsd.va.gov/public/index.asp

VA’s PTSD Program Locator
You can search for PTSD programs located near you. Using your DD214 to prove you are eligible to receive care through the Veterans Health Administration, you can enroll in one of VA’s PTSD treatment programs.
http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/ptsd_flsh.asp

Vet Centers
If you have served in combat or experienced any trauma during your service, take your DD214 to your local Vet Center and speak with a counselor or therapist. Many of of the counselors are Veterans themselves. The service is free, and you do not need an appointment, and regardless of your enrollment status with VA.
http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/vetcenter_flsh.asp

Understanding PTSD Booklet
The Veterans Administration has created an eight-page booklet that explains what PTSD is. It provides information and resources on how to get support. It also shares real testimonials from others who have dealt effectively with PTSD.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/understanding_ptsd/booklet.pdf

Understanding PTSD Treatment
The Veterans Administration has created an eight-page booklet that explains various proven ways you can treat PTSD and debunks some of the prevalent myths about treatment.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/understanding_TX/booklet.pdf

National Institute of Mental Health
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) explained
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml 

PTSD: National Center for PTSD
Helping a Family Member Who Has PTSD
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/family/helping-family-member.asp

Where to get help for PTSD!
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/where-to-get-help.asp 


Veterans Affairs Benefits Web Page
https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits
Find a VA PTSD Therapist
  https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/treatment/therapy-med/finding-a-therapist.asp
 
 

NON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT MAY HELP YOU

Mayo Clinic: Get help for post-traumatic stress disorder
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/expert-blog/help-for-post-traumatic-stress-disorder/bgp-20056053
Resources to help veterans dealing with addiction and drug abuse problems
https://www.palmerlakerecovery.com/resources/veterans/
 

This list below was contributed by Linda Johnson (thank you Linda!)

PTSD, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health Help for Veterans
https://www.yourstoragefinder.com/guidance-for-veterans-mental-health

Homeless Vets’ Guide to Stop Living On The Streets
https://www.thezebra.com/insurance-news/5518/guide-how-to-stop-living-out-of-car

Building Their Life Back - The Guide for Homeless Vets
https://www.bigrentz.com/how-to-guides/resources-homeless-veterans

Coalition for Homeless Veterans
http://nchv.org/index.php/help/

Financial Fitness from a Military Career
https://blog.taxact.com/how-to-make-the-most-financially-out-of-your-military-career/

Financial Assistance for Homeless Vets
http://www.operationwearehere.com/FinancialAssistance.html

Homeless Vets’ Guide to Finding a Home
https://www.homecity.com/homes-for-homeless-vets

Community and Support for Veterans
https://www.realwarriors.net

Affordable Legal Advice for Veterans
https://www.justgreatlawyers.com/legal-advice-for-veterans
 

Pinnaclepeak Recovery drug-alcohol-addiction-support-groups
https://www.pinnaclepeakrecovery.com/drug-alcohol-addiction-support-groups

Mike Miller http://themilitaryguide.org suggested these resources:

US Department of Veteran Affairs Crisis Hotline
Planning for Life after Discharge
Transition to Civilian Life
Mesothelioma Resources 
Surviving Spouses Resources
Best Jobs for Returning Servicemembers
ASVAB Resources

   

MY EXPERIENCES IN VIETNAM 

Infantry Platoon Leader 2nd Lt. Cordell Vail at Cu Chi Vietnam 1970 (2nd Platoon -27th Company (Wolf Hounds) 3rd Brigade 25th Infantry Division). Every day they took us up on a daylight inspection patrol in a LOCH helicopter to let us see where we would be going out later that night in the dark on an ambush patrol. (NOTE: I was a passenger in the helicopter not the pilot)
  1st Lt. Cordell Vail, Cu Chi Base Camp Vietnam 1970 holding an M-60 machine gun. We took two of them on patrols with us every night. We all carried that ammunition around our neck to help the machine gunner carry some of his weight. We wore them crisscrossed over each shoulder like Poncho Via.
  1st Lt. Vail as the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division Signal Officer, a position normally held by a person holding the rank of a Major. In that position I had a top secret security clearance and was responsible for over one million dollars in communications equipment.
 
  1st Lt. Vail CuChi Vietnam 1970 - 3rd Battalion in the 25th Infantry Division with an AK47 and other guns that were captured. The mobile Tactical Operations Center I built as the Brigade Communications Officer is in the semi truck in the background.
 
  Captain Eugene Cordell Vail Sr., U.S. Army Communications Instructor, Ft. Benning Georgia 1971

 
 

DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT

After I came home from Vietnam the most difficult part of the war for me was to realize there were still POWs over there. These were guys who went at the same time as me and it seemed our government just said there was nothing we could do about it and forgot about rescuing them. I guess that was the basis of the "RAMBO" movie. That haunted me for years. Especially 20 years later in the early 90's when I was one of the managers in a sewing factory in Logan Utah. Most of our workers were Vietnamese boat people who had just come to America the year or two before.  As I got to know them better they began to talk about Vietnam.  As a part of those conversations they told me they had often seen tall white men as slaves with the Vietnamese army just before they came over here.  I felt so frustrated knowing those men were still there, alive, and there was nothing I could do to help them.  I do not intend to allow that to be the case with veterans with PTSD.  There is something I can do and I am going to devote the rest of my life doing it.
Picture taken from
Free Clip Art -  www.fotosearch.com
 
 

MY BOOK ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR

My book "In Harms Way: Divine Intervention on the Battle Field" is dedicated to my my friend Gary Mower who was killed in Vietnam in 1970. CLICK HERE TO READ THE BOOK
 

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For more information about Young Living Essential Oils you can go to Cordell Vail's (Dist: 49560) web page at:
www.youngliving.org/cordellvail

You can contact me at:


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www.cordellvail.com


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Last updated 12/01/18