More and more active American veterans come home with not only physical wounds from serving their country. One in six soldiers return from Iraq or Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which affects not only them, but their family members, co-workers and others in their community. Many veterans are helped by knowing they are not alone in this struggle.
To honor American veterans, 91²Ö¿â at Stark’s Counseling Services will sponsor Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient Bryan Adams’ presentation, My War on PTSD, on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. in Main Hall Auditorium, 6000 Frank Avenue NW in Jackson Township. The presentation will be followed by a meet and greet with Adams at 1 p.m. in the Campus Center Fireplace Lounge. Both events are free and open is the public. No tickets are required.
Adams is a military veteran who served as a sniper in Iraq and was wounded during an ambush while on patrol in 2008. Upon his return to the U.S., he struggled to transition to civilian life because of PTSD. He will share his story of trauma, anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse and his efforts to seek help. His empowering presentation encourages audiences to make positive changes in their own mental health situations. Adams is currently the veteran services coordinator in the Rutgers University Office of Veteran and Military Programs and Services.
In addition to the presentation, members of Mineral City’s American Legion Post #519 will conduct a Flag-Raising Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. at the Frank Avenue entrance to 91²Ö¿â Stark’s campus. Following the ceremony, Stark Campus students will plant the Field of Honor, featuring hundreds of American flags, at the Frank Avenue entrance to the campus. The flags will be on display for the week of November 9-13.
For more information on 91²Ö¿â Stark’s events to honor American’s veterans, contact Cynthia Williams at cdwillia@kent.edu or 330-244-3262. Visit www.kent.edu/stark/veterans-services for information on 91²Ö¿â Stark’s veterans’ services.