January 31, 2012

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Sustainability PAGE 9-12

Revolutionary Fat Friday

the

Sopris Carbondale’s community

supported, weekly newspaper

Sun

Volume 4, Number 51 | January 31, 2013

Ex-Marine petitions for veterans’ program By Trina Ortega Sopris Sun Correspondent

A

dam McCabe had a successful run as a sergeant in the Marine Corps. He was 19 when he served his first tour in Iraq, was meritoriously promoted and received a Purple Heart and several commendations for bravery in combat. Based on his accomplishments in the service, he assumed civilian life would be equally as successful when he returned to the States after a second tour. When he got home, however, he couldn’t simply “turn off” the aggression that had been engrained and made him successful in a war zone; he’d spent months in the military training to be aggressive, to engage in firefights, to survive urban warfare that included snipers and suicide bombers. It turned out that — like thousands of other veterans — McCabe’s day-to-day survival on the streets of everyday America was more of a challenge than active duty overseas. Veterans are not making it through this personal battle. During their homecoming, they suffer from depression, anxiety, mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, divorce, homelessness and fatal accidents. Worst of all, 6,570 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are dying from suicide each year, according to the Center for a New American Security, a nonpartisan think tank that focuses on national security issues. That’s 18 veterans per day. One veteran is committing suicide every 80 minutes. Statistically, homecoming is becoming more difficult to survive than overseas combat.

Stress of battle Throughout history, the stress of battle has taken on different names. Ancient Greek warriors were discharged for “being out of heart.” In the Civil War, it was called “irritable heart,” “shell shock” and “battle fatigue.” Today we know it as PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), and it is affecting one in five veterans.

Co-Motion dancer Dana Ganssle Ellis rehearses for the new contemporary dance company’s upcoming performance at Carbondale Middle School at 7 p.m. on Feb. 2. For more photos and details, please turn to page 16. (Note: the time listed for the performance in last week’s paper was incorrect). Photo by Jane Bachrach

VETERAN’S HOMECOMING page 15

FEBRUARY 1ST IS FIRST FRIDAY!

SEE OUR SPECIAL

MARDI GRAS PARADE!

FIRST FAT FRIDAY

4:30 pm on Main Street in Carbondale!

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