WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.081 The-- The VA is an organization that has a mission to protect 00:00:05.081 --> 00:00:07.821 and to serve the needs of our veterans, 00:00:07.821 --> 00:00:12.151 those who go and are willing to sacrifice all for our country. 00:00:12.151 --> 00:00:15.731 And unfortunately what we're seeing is that even after 00:00:15.731 --> 00:00:21.648 all of these years --both in the post 9/11 era of veterans 00:00:21.648 --> 00:00:24.578 but also with Vietnam veterans, Korean War veterans, 00:00:24.578 --> 00:00:27.390 those who've come before us-- the-- the services are still 00:00:27.390 --> 00:00:28.630 falling short. 00:00:28.630 --> 00:00:30.860 And this area of post- traumatic stress I think 00:00:30.860 --> 00:00:33.880 is one of the main areas where that's true. 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:36.582 There continues to be a stigma around this, 00:00:36.582 --> 00:00:39.272 whether people are willing to admit it or not, 00:00:39.272 --> 00:00:43.590 both within the military and also with people transition back to 00:00:43.590 --> 00:00:45.354 their civilian lives. 00:00:45.354 --> 00:00:49.654 I've experienced it through some of my friends who I've served with, 00:00:49.654 --> 00:00:53.654 who've come home really, really struggling and 00:00:53.654 --> 00:00:58.128 having a hard time finding the best place that can really help them. 00:00:59.374 --> 00:01:03.584 This is one of the drivers behind the continued rate 00:01:03.584 --> 00:01:08.540 of veterans' suicide that we're seeing in our country and 00:01:08.540 --> 00:01:12.210 shows that we have to take a more holistic approach, 00:01:12.210 --> 00:01:14.880 and this is what I would lead as president, 00:01:14.880 --> 00:01:18.810 where as a veteran I understand in a deeply personal way 00:01:18.810 --> 00:01:22.810 who pays the price for war and how heavy that price is, 00:01:22.810 --> 00:01:26.430 and will ensure that our VA leaves no veteran behind, 00:01:26.430 --> 00:01:29.288 that every single veteran gets the care that they need. 00:01:29.288 --> 00:01:32.108 And as we look at post- traumatic stress, 00:01:32.108 --> 00:01:36.478 there are many different levels of how it impacts people 00:01:36.478 --> 00:01:38.288 on a whole spectrum. 00:01:38.288 --> 00:01:42.368 Some very, very extreme situations; some may be less extreme. 00:01:42.368 --> 00:01:49.455 But every person heals and finds their therapy and their path forward 00:01:49.455 --> 00:01:51.127 in a different way. 00:01:51.127 --> 00:01:53.407 And as a VA, as a government, as a society, 00:01:53.407 --> 00:01:57.897 we need to be able to help support that-- that journey. 00:01:58.842 --> 00:02:02.102 I-- I had a woman who'd work for me in my congressional office. 00:02:02.102 --> 00:02:06.322 She's a military spouse. Her husband had many deployments 00:02:06.611 --> 00:02:10.001 and had been exposed to some of the most extreme environments 00:02:10.001 --> 00:02:14.341 and situations that really had a-- deeply, deeply impacted him. 00:02:14.763 --> 00:02:18.010 He got to the point where he couldn't fly, he couldn't travel. 00:02:18.010 --> 00:02:20.623 And they didn't know what to do to be able to help him. 00:02:20.623 --> 00:02:23.885 He didn't want to just take drugs to try to numb the pain. 00:02:23.885 --> 00:02:27.075 And for him, their breakthrough happened when they had a plant 00:02:27.075 --> 00:02:29.245 that was dying on their front step. 00:02:29.245 --> 00:02:31.866 And he was home, and he just started watering the plant. 00:02:31.866 --> 00:02:33.996 Taking care of the plant, trimming the plant. 00:02:33.996 --> 00:02:36.476 And starting to bring this plant back to life. 00:02:36.476 --> 00:02:40.206 And he experiences, as well as his wife saw, that that was 00:02:40.471 --> 00:02:44.471 awakening something in him that had been lost for a long time. 00:02:44.777 --> 00:02:48.617 Long story short, now they have a farm with many acres. 00:02:48.617 --> 00:02:51.717 He has found his path towards peace by working the land 00:02:51.717 --> 00:02:55.006 and is inviting other veterans there to come and join him, 00:02:55.006 --> 00:03:01.616 and finding that connection with the earth, and growing food and plants 00:03:01.616 --> 00:03:04.356 as a way forward for them. 00:03:04.356 --> 00:03:06.976 Meditation is something others are finding. 00:03:06.976 --> 00:03:09.386 Working with animals, horses, dogs. 00:03:09.386 --> 00:03:13.386 Others-- others through surfing, actually. I've-- I've been surfing with 00:03:14.164 --> 00:03:19.174 severely wounded warriors, disabled veterans, and others 00:03:19.174 --> 00:03:23.844 who are finding their empowerment once again 00:03:23.844 --> 00:03:26.464 in the ocean, and it's an incredible thing. 00:03:26.464 --> 00:03:29.464 We've gotta support this holistic approach to actually 00:03:29.464 --> 00:03:33.164 treating the root cause rather than just seeing 00:03:33.164 --> 00:03:37.224 mental health treatment and treatment for post-traumatic stress 00:03:37.224 --> 00:03:43.214 as something that can only be responded to with more drugs.