Invisible Wounds. Real Heroes. — Understanding PTSD in Our Military Community

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a battle many veterans and servicemembers face in silence. Its weight can be invisible to the outside world—but deeply real to those who carry it. If you or someone you love is struggling, know this: you are not alone, and healing is possible.

What Is PTSD?

PTSD can develop after exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence—whether experienced directly, witnessed, or learned about. For military personnel, it often follows combat exposure, military sexual trauma, or the cumulative weight of service.

Symptoms include re-experiencing (flashbacks, nightmares), avoidance of reminders, negative changes in mood and thinking, and heightened arousal (hypervigilance, sleep problems, irritability). These are not signs of weakness—they are the mind's response to extraordinary circumstances.

By the Numbers

• 6M+ adults in the U.S. are affected by PTSD in any given year (National Institute of Mental Health)

• 17 veterans die by suicide every day — a crisis that demands our attention (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

• Veterans are 2.5x more likely to develop PTSD than civilians (VA)

• 80% of people with PTSD see significant improvement with proper treatment and support (NIMH)

Help Is Here

Veterans Crisis Line

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No matter what you're going through, confidential support is just a call, text, or chat away.

• Call: 988, then Press 1

• Text: 838255

• Chat: VeteransCrisisLine.net

Find Local Support

Connect with VA medical centers, Vet Centers, and community mental health providers near you. The VA's network of care is available to eligible veterans across the country.

• Find VA locations: va.gov/find-locations

• VA Benefits & Services: Call 1-800-827-1000

Support for Families

PTSD doesn't just affect the veteran—it touches the entire family. Partners, children, and caregivers often need their own support. The VA's Caregiver Support Program offers education, counseling, peer support, and financial assistance.

• Caregiver Support Program: caregiver.va.gov

• Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274

Stories of Strength

Recovery is real. Countless veterans and servicemembers have walked through the darkness of PTSD and found their way to hope, purpose, and healing. Their stories remind us that asking for help is one of the bravest things a warrior can do.

The VA's Make the Connection program (maketheconnection.net) shares the personal stories of veterans who have found support and reclaimed their lives after PTSD, substance use, depression, and other mental health challenges.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

— General George S. Patton

You Are Not Alone

Whether you are a veteran, an active-duty servicemember, a first responder, or a family member—if you or someone you love is struggling with PTSD, please reach out today. Help is here. Healing is possible. You have already proven your courage by serving. Let us honor that courage by getting the support you deserve.

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988, Press 1 | Text 838255 | VeteransCrisisLine.net

Find local VA resources: va.gov/find-locations

Caregiver support: caregiver.va.gov | 1-855-260-3274