Posted: Oct 11, 2010 4:39 PM CDT <em class="wnDate">Monday, October 11, 2010 5:39 PM EST</em> Updated: Oct 11, 2010 4:41 PM CDT <em class="wnDate">Monday, October 11, 2010 5:41 PM EST</em>
Forrest City – A retired Naval officer's 1,500 mile walk to raise awareness about post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) continues through Arkansas on Tuesday.
Retired Chief Warrant Officer John Ulstrom is on a "one man" march from Texas to Washington, D.C. to bring more awareness to PTSD. Along the way, Ulstrom is depending on the generosity of the people he meets to provide him with food and shelter. So far, in Arkansas, he's made lots of new friends.
Ulstrom has already traveled through Arkadelphia, Malvern, White Hall and Stuttgart, and plans to make his way through Forrest City on Tuesday.
Ulstrom describes one encounter along the way, as he approached the small Arkansas County town of Almyra.
The Navy veteran says on the outskirts of the town, Â a man stopped to ask if he could help Ulstrom get his belongings to the next stop.
That man, Almyra Mayor Mark Bennett, also a veteran, ended up welcoming Ulstrom, along with others to the town, and helped him with dinner and a place to stay. The local chapter of the American Legion also pitched in to help.
Ulstrom says along his walk he's talking to people about the realities of PTSD, and asking people to lobby legislators to provide more funding for returning war veterans.
To learn more about Ulstrom's walk, log on to his website.
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Thought i would share this. Pretty interesting.
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Thanks for stopping by and Have a great day
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Comments: 11
I have the disorder left over from Vietnam, as do several friends of mine here on Gather. Its not limited to war veterans, but can be triggered by any traumatic event in a person's life. There's no cure, only training to cope and keep it under control.
What I fear most is that I am beginning to observe a negative blowback against people with this problem, especially veterans. I'm seeing the general public striking out at returning veterans like they did in Vietnam. The conservatives will wave a flag with their left hand saying "support our troops." But, when these veterans return home, they wave a flag from their right hand that says "NIMBY" (not in my back yard) when they try to settle into a home. This is due to the increasing number of suicides, murders, and violence that can be a side effect of PTSD. There are even several bills in Congress that would make it illegal for any veteran to purchase or own a firearm.
I'm afraid Chief Ulstrom may be fighting an uphill battle. Congress has really screwed over veterans for over a decade, especially if it costs money not directly related to war.
FF-Nov