Veterans have already proven their courage and dedication with their service, so it’s important we all do everything we can to make it easy for them to seek the care they need after that service.

As we read in the Sunday, March 17, edition of the Butler Eagle, many veterans in Butler County and elsewhere struggle with the stigma around seeking treatment for substance abuse. There are many reasons substance use disorder is so common among veterans, and post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the largest.

As many as half of U.S. veterans who served after 9/11 report having an emotionally traumatizing or distressing experience, according to a Pew Research study released in 2021. And as many as 60% of veterans seeking treatment for substance use disorder also are diagnosed with PTSD, according to estimates from the Veterans Association of America.

Cully Neal, who retired from the Army last year and is seeking treatment for substance use disorder, said it comes with a soldier’s job.

“Of course, we have the propensity to have the rates to be higher,” Neal said. “I think our jobs are inherently more dangerous. We go to places where there are people trying to do harm to us.”

As we have written many times before, there is already a stigma around seeking treatment for many mental health conditions or for substance use disorder. Too many people treat those dealing with addiction and mental illness as if they have some sort of moral failing.

That can be compounded for military veterans. In addition to the traumatic experiences, leaving the military can mean leaving behind a veteran’s main support system and friend network.

That can leave them feeling adrift.

“Guys are afraid to ask for help” said Bill Rape, an army combat veteran and the Zelienople American Legion Post 474’s home association president. “Guys are too … hardheaded. They feel like it’s admitting a weakness.”

Jondavid Longo, mayor of Slippery Rock and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, said the service veterans put in should earn them not just our respect, but our help.

“It’s about building a community that honors their service by ensuring they are not left to face their battles alone,” he said.

If you’re a veteran and need assistance, you can call the Veterans Crisis Line/Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or send a text message to 838255.

— JK