Summit seeks ways to assist Wisconsin's warriors

By Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue

June 18, 2010 - A group of nearly 300 veterans, medical professionals and other veteran supporters assembled June 15-16 to learn more about the challenges and services available for combat veterans.

The Wisconsin Warrior Project partnered with the Wisconsin National Guard, Department of Veteran Affairs and other support agencies to host a two-day Warrior Summit at Madison Area Technical College's Truax Campus with two distinct objectives in mind.

"The mission is two-fold," said Bob Curry, president of Dry Hootch - a main event sponsor and non-profit organization. "It's for the veterans and their families, and it's also for the healthcare professionals who are dealing with those veterans."

Curry said the recent return of more than 3,200 Wisconsin Soldiers from their Iraq deployment has increased the number of exchanges between veterans and healthcare workers.

"A lot of times people in the medical profession don't know how to talk to a combat veteran," Curry added. "Events like these bring healthcare workers up to speed on some of the issues, but also some of the resources available to help."

Everyone who attended the event was able to attend a multitude of breakout session that covered issues from post traumatic stress disorder and crisis intervention to employment and spiritual healing.

Rebecca Boehlke, Joint Family Support Assistance Program (JFSAP) Team Leader and Military OneSource Consultant, said the many military, government and other support agencies that provide a wide array of services all act as a safety net for service members and their families.

"A service member may not open up to the first or second person he or she talks to," Boehlke said. "Somewhere along the way, someone will be able to peel back that onion and find out all the challenges that service member faces."

Boehlke said she is beginning to see more and more service members bring up challenges they're facing, a departure from veterans of earlier wars.

According to Curry, about 70 percent of veterans who attended the first Warrior Summit, held Oct. 20 in Milwaukee, took part in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Almost all the remaining veterans were from the Vietnam era.

Master Sgt. Deborah Severson, Wisconsin National Guard Family Program assistant, said continuing to support events like the Warrior Summit provides opportunities to talk face to face with Wisconsin's Soldiers and Airmen as well as network with other support agencies.

"We all collectively work together to find the service and support our service members need," Severson said. "Anywhere we can reach out to our service members and their families ... it's just the right place to be."