Last year, an act of Congress honoring Vietnam veterans was signed into law by President Trump. This law declares March 29^th as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The American flag is to be flown to commemorate the nearly 2.7 million U.S. servicemembers who served during this time period.

The initial return of these servicemembers was often met with disdain due to perceptions of the war at the time. Forty-five years later since the end of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, we now commemorate their bravery and service to our country. Unfortunately, like with most wars, many of our returning servicemembers struggled greatly with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is estimated that of the 2.7 million who served, 271,000 Vietnam veterans returned with PTSD.

Post-traumatic stress disorder was not officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association until 1980, seven years after the U.S. pulled troops out of Vietnam. This left many servicemembers undiagnosed at the time. It is partially due to these returning servicemembers that PTSD was officially recognized. Now the U.S. has treatment clinics in every state and The Patriots Initiative has a list of accredited metal health programs, service dog programs, and advocacy programs listed on The Directory, all of which help to support servicemembers suffering from PTSD.

Warriors In Transition

The Patriots Initiative knows that transitioning from military life to civilian life can be difficult, therefore TPI has created the Warriors in Transition (WIT) Matrix. This matrix is the nation’s most comprehensive list of vetted, direct links to American companies and educational/training organizations that have shown a real commitment to hiring and supporting our nation’s military veterans and their families. If you are a transitioning warrior, veteran, or family member, you can visit the WIT Matrix to be directly connected to these resources.

The WIT Matrix lists companies and organizations that have passed through the vetting and evaluation process, and are recognized amongst the nation’s premier employers, educators, and training programs. Once on the Wit Matrix homepage, the search process can be narrowed down to categories such as corporate employers, bulletin board services-job openings, education programs, job training/prep programs, and other highly recommended resources.

The Patriots Initiative regularly works to update the WIT Matrix as more opportunities are presented. If you know of any employers, resources, or organizations that would make a great addition to the WIT Matrix, please reach out to info@thepatriotsinitiative.org.