Wars have lasting affect on area residents
Polyanna Puckett
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
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Many people who live or work in Lock Haven have seen first hand what wars can do.
The United States has suffered the more casualties than any other country, including Iraq, 4,349, and Afghanistan, 873, according to icasualties.org, an online database that tracks the number of service members who have been wounded or killed since the start of the wars.
Dave Bowers, of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lock Haven, works on a daily basis with veterans from as early as the World War II to help ensure that they're receiving the care and benefits they deserve. Part of his job involves giving veterans, who are having a hard time returning home after a deployment, the resources to find help and support to cope with mental and physical ailments.
He stated that Clinton County has many residents who are serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) while providing services to help family members of service members find ways to cope as well.
With the rate of U.S. deaths overseas has yet to see a significant drop in numbers, more and more combat-associated problems continue to exist.
'The top four problems that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from are hearing loss, tinnitus (a constant ringing in the ears), post-traumatic stress disorder and physical wounds from combat," Bower said. "Any person who enters the military knows that when they sign up to serve that there are potential risks to their health."
Tabitha Lane, a sociology major at Lock Haven University, served in Iraq for 12 months and considers herself in fine health today. She said that she "joined the Army National Guard to help pay for college," but she "ended up getting far more life experience from her deployment than from college."
"My deployment really taught me that you can do anything you put your mind to," said Lane. "It taught me how precious life is and not to take any day or person for granted."
She considers dealing with the loss of her close friends the hardest part of her deployment. She explained that when one of her fellow soldiers was killed in combat, there was really never any chance to heal from it. The fallen solder's body is flown out of the area overnight and there might be a quick memorial service a few days later.
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