SHELBYVILLE, Ky. — Veterans organizations around the Kentuckiana area said more veterans are reaching out ever since Afghanistan fell.
Jeremy Harrell, founder and CEO of Veteran’s Club, a non-profit focus on providing resources to veterans, said he’s gotten 12 calls from former service members having suicidal thoughts since Aug. 14. That’s the day the Taliban seized control of Kabul.
"We need a resolution to this on a national level very quickly,” Harrell said. “I know everybody is very focused on what's going on in Afghanistan and the loss of life that occurs there and the injuries that occur, but we're going to lose lives here in our backyard because of what's occurring there in Afghanistan."
Harrell said veterans he’s spoken to feel defeated because 20 years of work came undone in a matter of days.
While it was tough to see the country fall to terrorists after dedicating so much time there, Travis Rahill, SFC, U.S. Army Retired, said he feels America’s work in both Afghanistan and Iraq made a difference.
"We had a whole generation of Afghanis and Iraqis grow up under U.S. occupation, for lack of a better word,” Rahill said. “We've definitely influenced them just as they've influenced us. There was a cultural exchange that went on because we were there for so long. So, was the time wasted? I’m going to say no. Could the outcome have been better? Of course.”
Rahill retired from the Army in 2015. He served for a total of 22 years; spending four years in the Marines Corps and 18 years in the Army.
He did three Post 9/11 deployments. Rahill went to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once.
Need help? Here are some resources
There are a variety of local resources available to help veterans and their loved ones.
If you're a veteran in need of help right now, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. You can also chat with them online by clicking here or send them a text at 838255.
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