At first glance David and Kyle don’t seem to have anything in common.  David is 60 years old, divorced with grown children.  He’s been sober for more than two decades.  He owns his own home and lots of “toys.”  David served two tours of duty in Vietnam.

Kyle is newly married with a baby on the way.  He and his wife struggle to make ends meet and to keep their marriage intact.  He’s been drinking more, but only to help him sleep at night.  Kyle joined the military after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and has served two tours of duty in Iraq.

Although David and Kyle don’t appear to be alike, they have much in common.  Especially duty and honor.  They are both combat veterans.  Successful and dedicated soldiers, they were trained to react in battle.  They also were taught that there is no place for emotion in war. And neither man has ever talked about how he feels since returning home. 

Rick Bulman, also a Vietnam combat veteran, is an Outpost Leader for Point Man International Ministries, or PMIM, which offers hope and healing to servicemen and women and their families.

“Everyone who serves has readjustment issues and difficulty reintegrating when they come home.  Combat operational stress is a natural reaction to an unnatural situation.  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not a badge of shame.  It’s not a mental problem or a sign of weakness.  We need to get the word out to our veterans and returning soldiers that what they are experiencing is normal.  Abnormal would be if they weren’t having readjustment issues,” said Bulman.

PMIM’s mission is “To connect the hurting veteran as well as their families and friends with others who have already begun the transition home after war.”  Through small group meetings called Outposts, veterans from all conflicts, nationalities and backgrounds come together to help each other adjust and reintegrate back into their non-combat lives.

Sometimes the signs that a veteran would benefit from PMIM are easy to miss.

“We’re seeing men and women today who think they’re just fine until they’re driving along and see a place where the pavement is patched.  Suddenly they are swerving into traffic to miss an IED,” Bulman said.

Other common signs are depression, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and relationship problems. 

“One of the things we have in common is that we all have some degree of difficulty talking about our war experiences,” said Bulman. “We don’t want anyone to know what we’re really thinking and feeling.  It could hinder future promotions or employment.  The VA might be the last place we want to go for help.

“For me,” Bulman continued, “I struggled for years with survivor’s guilt.  Why did I come home when so many others didn’t?”  It’s not uncommon for combat veterans to be haunted by a false belief that they could have and should have done something different to save their fallen comrades.  “That guilt is very real, and it’s a lie.”

PMIM also has Homefront groups for the wives, mothers and friends of active duty military and veterans.  “For every person returning from combat there are about six people in their lives who will experience secondary PTSD.  Don’t forget, our loved ones’ lives are also affected by our deployment,” Bulman said.

Bulman echoes PMIM’s Web site.  “So to all you new guys, welcome home.  Thank you for a job well done.  Your sacrifice is deeply appreciated here.  We support you regardless of when or where you served; we understand what you’ve been through and what you’re dealing with now.” 

PMIM welcomes you home and thanks you.

To find a PMIM Outpost or Homefront in your area, go to www.pmim.org or e-mail Rick Bulman.