Honoring Veterans, Understanding PTSD, and a Special Tribute to My Pappy Gene
Bobby “Gene” Ritchie, Paratrooper and Sharpshooter, U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division
This post is dedicated to my grandfather (“Pappy”), Bobby “Gene” Ritchie, who served in the United States Army from 1960 to 1966 as a paratrooper and sharpshooter with the 82nd Airborne Division. His courage, discipline, and devotion to duty reflect the best of what it means to wear our nation’s uniform. He represents a generation of Americans who stood ready when called, asked for little in return, and carried the weight of freedom with quiet strength.
As I continue my studies to become a Certified Professional Mental Health Coach, I am learning about conditions that reach far beyond my own experience with bipolar disorder. Each lesson deepens my understanding of how the mind, body, and spirit work together in healing. Through my Four Pillars Model, which includes psychiatry, therapy, family, and faith community, I know firsthand that true recovery must be both clinical and spiritual. Healing the heart and restoring purpose requires compassion, structure, and faith working hand in hand.
One of the most misunderstood conditions in mental health is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Anyone who has experienced trauma can develop it, including survivors of car accidents, abuse, medical crises, or sudden loss. Yet PTSD is especially common among veterans. Many of our nation’s servicemen and women carry this invisible wound long after returning home. The mind continues to replay what the body has already survived, searching for safety, understanding, and peace.
PTSD is not weakness. It is the body and brain’s survival system working overtime. When someone experiences trauma, the brain’s alarm system stays on high alert. Flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, emotional numbness, or constant tension can all be signs of a system that has seen too much and is still searching for safety. Through a faith-based lens, we can see that the pain is real, but so is the hope of healing. God did not design us to carry trauma alone. Just as the body needs rest after injury, the soul needs restoration after hardship. That is where my Four Pillars Model provides a framework for care.
Psychiatry helps regulate the brain and calm the overactive fear response.
Therapy offers a safe and supportive space to work through painful memories, rebuild trust, and regain a sense of peace and control.
Family provides connection and unconditional love, reminding someone they are never alone.
Faith community offers purpose, prayer, and hope — a spiritual anchor that reminds us healing is not only possible but promised
Coping with PTSD often involves a combination of these supports. Some find peace in prayer, deep breathing, or grounding techniques that calm the body. Others find release through journaling, creative expression, or physical activity that restores balance. Many discover healing through worship and community, where grace replaces shame and presence replaces isolation.
As Veterans Day approaches, my heart overflows with gratitude. I think about my Pappy and the millions like him who served this country with courage. He later battled alcoholism, and though I never had the chance to speak with him directly about his addiction, I often wonder how much of his pain came from trauma that had no outlet. His generation was taught to be strong and silent. But silence does not heal. Connection does.
Addiction is often a secondary wound, a way to numb what feels unbearable. When trauma goes unspoken, substances can become both a shield and a prison. My Pappy, like so many others, did the best he could with what he knew at the time. His story inspires my mission as a future mental health coach — to help others find the words, tools, and faith his generation never had.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, about 7 percent of veterans will experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at some point in their lives, a rate slightly higher than that of the general population. Research from the University of California, San Francisco’s Center for Health and Community shows that among veterans who screen positive for probable PTSD, only about 62 percent report having received an official diagnosis from a clinician. That means an estimated 38 percent of veterans living with PTSD may remain undiagnosed or unaware of their condition. These numbers remind us that behind every medal, salute, and folded flag, there may be untold stories of pain and resilience that deserve to be heard.
On a day like tomorrow, when we honor our veterans, I encourage everyone to take a moment of reflection. If you see someone in uniform, thank them. If you know a veteran or a first responder, listen to them. But also remember that trauma does not wear a uniform. It lives in the young mother who survived an accident, the child who grew up in chaos, the survivor of emotional pain who is still learning to trust.
PTSD is not confined to one group of people. It touches veterans, civilians, men, women, and children. For those of us in the helping professions, the mission is clear: bridge the clinical and the spiritual. Healing is holistic. Medication can calm the mind, therapy can guide the emotions, family can hold the person, and faith can restore the soul.
I have always loved when Sarah Palin says, “If you love your freedom, thank a vet,” and someone in uniform would rise to applause. That moment captures something sacred about who we are as Americans. Gratitude is not political; it is moral. And I would add one more thought: if you love your neighbor, support their healing too. The freedoms we cherish are strongest when compassion is alive among us.
So tomorrow, let us celebrate our veterans. Let us honor their sacrifice with prayer, gratitude, and action. Let us also remember the quiet battles fought in the shadows — the sleepless nights, the unspoken grief, and the courage it takes to keep moving forward. Healing begins when we recognize that pain, courage, and faith belong to us all.
To my Pappy, and to every veteran who has worn the uniform of the United States of America, THANK YOU. Your courage made our freedom possible. May we honor your legacy not only with words, but by walking beside those still on the path toward peace, ensuring that mental health needs, advocacy, and funding remain a national priority.
To learn more about the official diagnostic criteria and understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, visit the DSM-5 overview from the American Psychiatric Association for detailed information on symptoms, assessment, and treatment considerations.
I also invite you to read more of my Pillar Posts, where I share insights on mental health and explore the Four Pillars Model for Healing and Purpose, a faith-based framework for lasting growth and recovery.