Military families spent saturday and sunday raising awareness for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in ...

1. Parents battle growing combat-related suicide issue
Military families spent saturday and sunday raising awareness for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in
soldiers.
“The out pour of support they have been receiving is beyond words, it's beyond words,” said
Valerie Pallotta lost her son, Josh, just 6 months ago, to combat-related suicide.
“It's greatly affected our family, our lives will not be exactly the same,” Pallotta said. “You
wonder what you may did wrong. What you might have done to have a difference.”
With help from her colleagues from blue star mothers, Pallotta organized a weekend of events to
increase money and awareness of the devastating old PTSD.
“The money raised will undoubtedly specifically be operated for PTSD Vermont veterans,” said
Blue Star Mother, Beni Twitchell-Stephens.
Because every soldier is unique, they each settle back into way of life differently.
“They've seen their buddies lose their lives and after that they have to repeat and they ve to view
that,” said Amy Connelley, who holds had two sons join the military.
She says the effects of getting upon the front line might affect all the family.
“As a parent, it's hard you have to be careful of the volume of you step upon their toes, because
they'll get angry after which they'll push away more, which then are able to make it worse, so this is
a balance,” Connelley said.
Pallotta says soldiers need more support before and after their service.
“It's one that shouldn't happen,” she replied. “There ought to be a great deal more done once
they come home with reintegration. I do think that needs to change, I do think there ought to be
more tools to them before they go. So they include some resiliency tools.”
She says a simple dose of each day kindness could go a great distance.
“If many are more compassionate with somebody they meet who may be a little less patient along
with them or perhaps a slightly angry, think about the fact some may become a veteran and these
people can be managing PTSD,” she replied.