There are challenges in life that can impact us in ways we don’t understand in the moment and only realize a bit later. Case in point, this very newsletter/website.
Allow me a moment to introduce myself. My name is Jacob Warren, and I am a disabled veteran who has been trying to navigate the complexities of life after service since 2008. All I can say is that the road has been rough, to say the least. I’ve struggled and stumbled many times throughout the years. (I’m not telling you this for sympathy but rather as a disclosure that I am still a work in progress.)
The Importance of Community
It wasn’t until the most recent events (and associated stumbling) that I came to the realization that there are other veterans trying to make it on their own and facing very similar struggles. To some, this might be one of the most obvious things that someone should have realized from the very beginning. However, when you’re in the thick of it, it’s hard to realize the importance of community.
True community wasn’t something I understood until very recently. Over time, I will work on sharing more details about the recent events that took place in my life. But, for now, I will try to summarize the key moment.
A Turning Point
I encountered someone within the Veterans Affairs health care community that treated me with a level of care that missed the most fundamental tenets of the word “care.” I’m not talking about a lack of bedside manner. I am talking about being treated as though I was the most worthless bag of meat sitting in this person’s office.
After leaving the appointment, I started replaying every doctor visit and experience I’ve had over the years. How did I go so terribly wrong that my medical history was completely disregarded in a single visit? And for the doctor to explain in the appointment that consideration of your documented medical history was discretionary? Keep in mind that I was transferring my care from one VA care region to another, meaning this was supposed to be a continuing care appointment.
During the next few days that followed, I began researching whether other veterans had similar experiences. To my surprise, my experiences were very similar to others. It’s at this point that I turned to social media and voiced my experience publicly. In sharing my experience, I had a few people comment with suggestions. It was in reading the comments that the mission for this project was conceived.
TheSimple (Yet Complex) Mission
We have to do better for our veterans. Regardless of the long or short-term experiences for me personally, my thoughts turned to the veterans we lose to self-deletion each and every year. If someone who is actively trying to navigate the policies and programs is met with this kind of treatment, it’s no surprise that we lose so many of our brothers and sisters who try to reach out for help, only to be met with similar experiences.
Looking Forward
My hope is that by sharing not only my experiences but also seeking out other veterans, service organizations (VSOs), online resources, influencers, entrepreneurs, and those who support the veteran community as a whole that we possibly can help decrease the numbers of lost members of our community.