CHARLOTTE — For one retired U.S. Army veteran, Memorial Day is a time to honor a pal he misplaced 13 years in the past.
Shawn Donahoe served within the Army for 21 years earlier than retiring final November. He deployed seven occasions — largely to Afghanistan and Iraq, the place he noticed fight. In some conditions, he even misplaced associates.
“I underestimated the transition out of the navy,” he advised Channel 9′s Gina Esposito.
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It isn’t simple for Donahoe to speak about Sergeant Albert Ware, who was killed by a roadside bomb in 2009. It’s ache he’s been working by way of due to the assistance of Operation Resiliency, or OpRES. It’s a four-day retreat placed on by the Independence Fund, a Charlotte-based veteran group.
This system reunites fight items in an effort to enhance the psychological well being and wellbeing of veterans and in flip, helps forestall veteran suicide.
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“The OpRES program is phenomenal as a result of they don’t pressure you to do something should you’re not able to unpack, however they make the chance obtainable for you,” Donahoe stated.
Sam Johnson with the Independence Fund stated annually, dozens of veterans throughout the nation undergo this system. And it’s saving lives — nobody who has been by way of this system has died by suicide.
>> Within the video on the prime of the web page, Esposito learns how this system focuses on human connection, resulting in increased registrations for psychological well being assets.
For those who’re a veteran in disaster or are involved about somebody, please name the Veterans Disaster Line: 800-273-8255.
Channel 9 is a part of Cox Media Group Tv (CMG). CMG is becoming a member of forces with Veteran Jobs Mission in an effort to assist 2 million servicemembers and their households discover and hold employment. To study extra, click on right here.
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