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Post-9/11 Veterans and Life after the Military

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) via Wikimeida Commons
U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Kevin Healy exits an CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan.

Veteran’s Day is Friday, Nov. 11, and after more than a decade and a half of war in Afghanistan and Iraq, a growing generation of men and women are being honored as "post-9/11" veterans. It's a new generation of vets facing longer deployments and what many have call "a different type of war."

Wednesday on Gulf Coast Live, we speak with some "post-9/11" vets to discuss their struggles, their support networks, and how they are moving on from life after the military.

Guests:

  • Armando Hernandez, Marine Corps veteran and instructor with the non-profit Home Base program helping post-9/11 vets through fitness and wellness programs
  • Jeffrey Swatzentruber, Marine Corps veteran diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Cpt. John Bunch, Vietnam veteran and operator of Operation Open Arms charity for active duty personnel suffering from PTSD
  • Rodney Van Ness, with Lee County Veterans Services