AMVETS seeks new Logansport post

Oct. 4—From a very young age, people in society are taught that it is wrong to take a life.

However, when a person joins the military and picks up a deadly weapon with the understanding of its purpose, they may one day be told to shoot on command. That is a contradictory lesson embedded in minds — one that often plagues service members for years to come.

And it's a thought process that only other military service members and veterans could fully comprehend.

"Young vets don't know how to deal with this," said Coral Briseño, whose 22-year-old son, Marine Cpl. Humberto A. "Bert" Sanchez, was killed Aug. 26 at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, when a suicide bomber blew up the area with 25 pounds of explosives. Sanchez and 12 other military service members — along with more than 180 Afghans — lost their lives.

Briseño said she has co-workers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq who would appear disconnected and sad. One person, in particular, she said, was suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, which is not uncommon for service members.

"They see things we don't even imagine, and they're so young, but they don't have the support like some of the older veterans do," she said, explaining that those who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars have places like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.

Often, though, the younger veterans have a different approach to support, said Misty Frost of One Warrior Foundation. "Younger veterans want to do things inclusive to their families. Vets still heal vets, but younger generations are much more family-oriented."

They need that support from spouses and children, Frost said.

"It's crucially important because until you get into a room with someone and verbalize your struggles, no one knows what you're going through. And when you add things like PTSD and trauma, and things from combat veterans who have been through what we can't even fathom in our comfortable society — or vets who have never deployed but live with survivor's guilt, who feel just as guilty because they weren't there to help — that's when we know how important it is to have a strong support system."

Recognizing the need for a safe, comfortable place for all veterans — but focusing more on the younger generations — is why Roger Williams of Kokomo said his group, AMVETS (American Veterans) is looking to establish a new post in Logansport.

AMVETS, founded in 1944, is the nation's most inclusive congressionally chartered veterans service organization, he said. It is open to all who serve in the military, reserve and guard.

Williams, the immediate past department commander, said his organization is looking to get more vets involved in a support system. To start a new post in Logansport, he said 10 veterans would need to sign a petition. Once accomplished, the group could begin to form bylaws and set meeting times and days.

The post would not be bound to any physical location. The group would be free to meet wherever the members desire. During the summertime, for example, that could be a park — where veterans could bring their family members and enjoy a cookout, games and a time of discussion. In the winter season, sites such as the American Legion could be used.

"Logansport was on our radar for next year — the Logansport demographic has about 3,000 vets, and they're being underserved. We want to correct that, but with Cpl. Sanchez, we realized we needed to focus on younger veterans now," said Williams, who served as post commander from 2019-2020. "The reason why we're doing that is because the vet organizations recognize that younger vets are not interested in what older vets are. When they're 40 or 50 years old, the established vet organizations are more their speed, but those who are 20 or 30 want more family- and community-oriented activities."

"That's what we're about," he said. "We get into the communities and help out."

The most important part is addressing mental health, Williams said. "We will go in and teach about suicide prevention. There are 22 veteran suicides a day. Someone once said that we should never have one veteran committing suicide a day. I say we shouldn't have 22 veterans committing suicide a day."

Frost agreed.

"We have seen an increase in suicides, especially with the backlash of Afghanistan. It's heartbreaking, but not surprising," she said. "We need to support each other in real life not just through a call center."

And that's why her group will be working with AMVETS.

Williams said AMVETS would like to call the new post the "Cpl. Humberto Sanchez AMVETS post" as a way to recognize his service, but it would in no way detract from any military service member or veteran — especially those who called Cass County home, including U.S. Army Pfc. Shawn Hensel and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kenneth McAninch.

It's an idea that humbles Briseño. "I feel really honored that people are giving me support like this. It makes me feel honored, and that more people will be able to remember my son."

Her husband, Alan Doolittle, agreed, saying that "it's great to reach out and do things like this. We don't want people to forget, and if she's no longer here, then it will carry on without her."

"And when we think of the American Legion or the VFW, we think of older veterans," said Doolittle. "That's where they go to support each other, but we don't ever hear about support for Desert Storm or Iraqi veterans. War is war, so it's the same thing every veteran has to deal with, just in a different generation."

"The organization and myself feel like we're not doing enough to heal our soldiers coming out of these conflicts and dealing with conflicts of life," said Williams. "We welcome anyone who has that on their heart to help push AMVETS's mission, so no young man or woman loses his or her life."

"We can work as a community," he said, "and we can make a difference here."

He hopes to have a new post established by the end of October.

Reach Kristi Hileman at kristi.hileman@pharostribune.com or 574-732-5150