Portsmouth Herald — With the firing of the gun to kick off the sixth annual Pack and Boots 5K Road Race on July 4 in Portsmouth, some in attendance will reflect on much more than who will “win.”
“Honestly, many of our veterans have not received the recognition and care they deserve,” said David Hampson, who chairs the volunteer committee that plans the event. “At various times in our nation’s history, veterans have returned home to not only be shunned, but denied access to needed medical services and that isn’t right.”
Rick Courtemanche, who served in Vietnam and sits on the race committee, agrees with Hampson and shared his own experience when he returned home.
“There were no parades, no one to greet us at the airport, and a lot of people who just were tired of seeing the war in their living rooms each night,” he said.
Noting they were in combat one day and on a plane home the next, he said they returned to the States with protests and protesters at airports.
“One day, you were proud to be in uniform,” he said. “The next, you couldn’t wait to take it off.”
For Hampson, the race’s chosen beneficiary – Veterans Count, the philanthropic arm of Easterseals Military & Veterans Services – is an important countermeasure to what has resulted in a historically underserved population.
“Veterans Count is an incredible resource for veterans, filling in the gaps that our formal systems can’t seem to adequately address,” he said. “This is a great race without a doubt, but the needs it is addressing are very serious and timely.”
Regardless of discharge status or length of service, Veterans Count provides veterans with everything from emergency financial assistance to counseling that deals with a variety of issues, including suicide prevention.
According to Air Force Lt. Col. Stephanie Kerrigan, a race committee member, veterans require supports for reasons that may be difficult for civilians to fully understand.
“We are probably given the best training, discipline and sense of purpose than any other organization in the world – that is how we can be such an effective team,” she said. “However, we are not superheroes. Stress, mission, even personal issues affect us and break us down like anyone else. We need support.”
As far as Courtemanche is concerned, this support is expertly provided by Veterans Count, which he said offers the personnel and resources needed to help individuals return to civilian life after combat.
“Some people need the counseling and guidance the care coordinators can offer – someone to just listen,” he said. “Some people need a little financial help. Many need to figure out how to apply the skills learned in the military to a new job.”
Courtemanche said the services he receives through Veterans Count have saved his life.
It is not just the services, though, that have made the difference, but the people with whom he has worked, he said. He cited his clinical care coordinator Victoria Bagshaw as particularly responsible.
“What I most would like people to know about Veterans Count is the quality of people behind the scenes … but mostly the unsung heroes like Victoria, who day in and day out are tasked with the job of saving veterans,” he said. “The body count is at 23 veterans a day committing suicide, and I fear that without people like Victoria the number would be double. She exemplifies the creed ‘leave no one behind.’”
Real-world examples like this fuel Hampson, who did not serve in the military, but feels compelled to honor those who have served.
“I had friends who served, friends who died. This is real for me and this is important,” he said. “I hope people who participate in this race recognize and appreciate the importance of the cause behind it.”
For more about the race or to offer support, visit www.packandbootsrace.com.
In photo: David Hampson, Veterans Count Seacoast Chapter Member and Pack & Boots Committee Chair