For Jim Lorraine, helping his fellow veterans overcome the invisible wound of war – post-traumatic stress - comes down to a single concept: Building lasting personal relationships.
“People who think technology is a solution to problems don’t understand their problems and don’t understand technology,” he said.
Lorraine served in the U.S. Air Force as a combat nurse in special operations command and was sent on nine combat tours around the world. When he retired following his 22-year career, Lorraine began America’s Warrior Partnership, a national nonprofit that advocates for wounded, ill or injured military personnel and partners with local community organizations to prevent veteran suicide.
He credits the success of the organization on its building of personal relationships with those it helps. Lorraine also stressed that post-traumatic stress is not unique to the military population.
“Everyone has post-traumatic stress,” he said. “It’s a normal thing. It’s okay to recognize that you have it and work to get over it.”
Lorraine noted that a recent Brown University study found that 30,177 veterans have died by suicide since 2001 – more than three times the number of those who died in combat. Family relationships, housing, employment, education and being surrounded by friends is an important component of good mental health, he added.
“A lot of programs are transactional,” explained Lorraine. “AWP focuses on being relational. We use technology as a tool, not a program.
“What I mean by that is if veterans are housed and employed and are educated, if they feel a sense of purpose and an improved quality of life, they have a lower likelihood of taking their own life.”
The AWP Network allows veterans to reach out and ask for help, he said.
“We listen to the veteran and we connect them to the resources, usually in the community to help them address their needs and then we help them stay connected to them over time,” Lorraine said. “That’s building a relationship.”
AWP works with other veteran services organizations and companies to meet veterans where they are in their life journey. Among its partners are the Gary Sinise Foundation, the USO and Wells Fargo.
“It’s about working together, it’s about being focused on the veteran themself and their family,” explained Lorraine. “What we were doing is connecting them to those services that would improve their quality of life.”
AWP views suicide prevention not as a program, but as the outcome of really good, successful programs, he said. AWP is also focusing on accidental overdose deaths and financial insecurity.
“The solution is, somebody gives a darn about you and has your back,” he said.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
