PTSD help is available for veterans

GREEN BAY, WI – (WISS & WGBW) – Over the past several years, mental health has become more of a focus for those inside of the military and outside of it as well. Joe Aulik, Director of Veterans Services for Brown County says Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) can come from a variety of things, not just from combat situations.

“You can see a car accident. I witnessed one when I was in the Air Force. A head-on collision. I was the first one on the scene. That was traumatic,” said Aulik. “I had a veteran whose buddy was electrocuted in front of him, in the Navy. Another veteran – Two destroyers ran into each other. It cut the boat in half. He watched 20 of his friends go into the ocean and never come back.”

Why seek help for PTSD

Many veterans are resistant to asking for help. But Aulik says not seeking help, not talking about PTSD only makes it worse.

“That’s not the best thing to do if you’re struggling with mental health, is bury it,” Aulik said. “The body will push it out – like shrapnel. It’s mental health shrapnel.”

Mental health support and healing from PTSD is not something that can be cured with one appointment or a single pill.

“It’s not like a cut on your finger that can heal in a week. This is an onion you have to unravel,” Aulik said. “You have to take time at it. Consistency is important! Individuals think they will go to counseling, and it’s gonna happen right away. You’ve just got to be patient. It takes time to work through those things.

The Brown County Office of Veterans Services is an ombudsman for connecting veterans and the services available to them in Wisconsin and in Brown County. 

“When they have an issue, or you see someone struggling, we’re the resource. We know how to hook them up to the Green Bay Vet Center. We know how to hook them up to the VA healthcare system. And we’re fellow veterans too. We do a lot of counseling in our office. Not because we are counselors, but because we’re fellow veterans.”

Aulik says many of the services offered in his office can be completed over the phone.

“You don’t have to come to the office. You don’t have to make that arduous appointment. We do about 90% of our stuff right over the phone. We file claims over the phone. We make it as easy as possible because I know the hurdles that veterans go through.

“So if they can sit in their easy chairs at home. Call a phone number. File a claim. That’s one less hurdle.” Aulik said.

For information about Veterans Services in Brown County call (920) 448-4450. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or is suicidal please call the suicide and crisis hotline at 9-8-8.