Native American Veterans
Outreach
Vietnam veteran Ray Perry from the Navajo
Nation saw a need to contact the Native American veterans-of-foreign wars on
a group basis for they needed comradeship, support and biblical counseling
for veterans who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Ray says, “The Creator's words from the Scared Book ( Bible), speaks to the
hearts and minds of the veterans. The word of God gives directions and
delivers them from their bondages! According to the Readjustment Counseling
Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately 26% of the Native
American veterans are suffering form PTSD. Per the Disabled American
Veterans National Service Program (DAV), PTSD is defined as, “The emotional
damage that can occur form suffering an event where one's life or the lives
of others, emotionally close to one, have survived frightening events”. It
is called post traumatic stress disorder by mental health professionals.
PTSDs have “tension triggers,” which hurls the
combat veterans back into their war experiences. For example, a loud noise
from a car backfiring or the sound of diesel trucks and their exhausts can
trigger a past war experience. Also the whumping sounds of helicopters and
people appearing out of nowhere can startle veterans. The irony of this is,
as the veterans increase in age; the PTSD syndrome intensifies within their
minds and hearts.
Not all veterans suffer form from PTSD,
however, those who do have deep emotional scarring need help. For that
reason the Native American Veterans Rally, a veterans outreach ministry- had
formulated to come along side the Vets and become a support group for them
and their families. It is a veteran-to-veteran ministry.
The Native American Veterans Rally or crusade
are military in nature. It is an assembly area for the vets. If you were to
visit a rally, you would think that you are on a military base, for you will
see banners and hear band music that military personnel march to at formal
parade grounds or boot camp training. Also the “Posting of the Colors” are
the order of the day…before the rally begins. The whole proceedings are
contextualized for the veterans.
At the rally, veterans come together with
comraderies…for it is like a family reunion.
Some come to the rally wearing their award
medals and others still fit in their military uniforms. Others wear military
ball caps. The chapel services begins with praise and worship, and sermon
presentations are contextualized for the veterans using their military
jargons, to illustrate biblical scriptures for emphases.
Ray Perry served in the United States Navy from
1960- 1965. He served aboard a naval destroyer, the USS Duncan (DDR-874),
which was dispatched to the Tonkin Gulf that is off the coast of Vietnam.
The Duncan operated with a carrier task force, supporting the U.S. armed
forces in Vietnam (in country). Ray became a believer in the Creator's Son,
Jesus Christ, in 1974. He is a trainer biblical counselor and teacher.
