The Veteran's Story

All around us, as we go through our daily lives, we are surrounded by individuals who have served and fought on behalf of our country.

There are thousands of vets walking and working among us. They are often unremarkable against the backdrop of daily living—our bus drivers, fellow students and bank tellers—but in reality, these brave men and women frequently have wounds and needs as invisible as the reality of their service to us all.

In addiiton to the physical injuries sustained from active combat, our veterans are coping with additional problems. A June 2007 report from the Department of Defense Mental Health Task Force report indicates that nearly 50 percent of National Guard members and reservists who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq report symptoms of mental disorder. Most disturbing is that many find it difficult to access military-provided clinical care and support groups.

Access to veteran's aid resources continues to be a problem. Despite the efforts of U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs and other assistance groups, veterans still have trouble finding the resources necessary to tackle their issues head on. Livermore Veterans' Foundation makes it our goal to bridge that gap.