For Veterans, a Day Devoted to Health, Healing and Learning

Redwood City -Luis Romero came to a Veterans Stand Downwith a clear mission: to keep working on his health and to learn what else might help along the way.

The Coast Guard veteran moved among rows of tables and sun shades outside County Center, stopping to talk with outreach workers, collecting brochures and comparing notes with fellow veterans. For Romero, who retired after more than two decades of service and splits time between Northern and Southern California, the event was both a checkup and a classroom.

"I decided to come up to the Bay Area, reconnect with a lot of my shipmates, work on my mental health as well," Romero said. "I've been learning more and more about what's out here, asking questions, finding out what services are available. It's about keeping myself moving forward."

Stand Downs, held across the country by the Department of Veterans Affairs and local partners, are modeled after the military practice of pulling troops off the battlefield to rest and regroup. At Thursday's Stand Down, organized by the San Mateo County's Veterans Services Office, attendees found in one place what can otherwise be scattered across far-flung agencies: medical screenings, housing referrals, job counseling, mental health support and, perhaps most valuable, the chance to make connections.

As the morning sun broke through the clouds, a soloist stepped onto a small stage with a guitar and sang the national anthem, opening the event on a formal note as the courtyard filled with activity.

"Increasing access is the key," said Mario Ramirez, who works with the VA Palo Alto mobile medical team. "A lot of veterans don't even realize they're eligible for VA health care. We can enroll them right here and start treatment."

For San Mateo County Veterans Services Officer Ed Kiryczun, the goal is to make sure every veteran left with something concrete: an appointment scheduled, a health care ID in hand, a new contact to call, even a lunch of roast beef, veggie or other sandwiches with a cold drink.

"The biggest barrier is just awareness," he said. "These events are about connecting veterans to the services they've earned."

At one table, Marine veteran and artist Colin Hoffman displayed a piece built from small squares arranged into the shape of two number 2s, symbolizing the 22 veteran suicides that occur every day. He spoke with visitors about his art and his dream of turning it into a public sculpture.

"I've lost people, and I've been close myself," Hoffman said. "But I live it - and I want other veterans to live it too."

Back at the Palo Alto VA team's medical area, nurse practitioner Doral Gonzales reflected on her two decades-plus in the Army, time that included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, between seeing veterans about their health needs. She said Thursday's Stand Down was one of her last before retirement, though she still plans to volunteer.

"We go where the veterans are, not just where the hospitals are," she said. "That's the only way to reach them."

Missed the Stand Down? The San Mateo County Veterans Services Office offers year-round services:

• Help applying for VA health care, disability compensation and pensions

• Assistance with education, training and employment benefits

• Referrals for housing, food and other support services

• Guidance on survivor benefits and burial services

• Access to mental health resources and counseling

• Connections to local, state and federal veteran programs

Contact: San Mateo County Veterans Services Office Phone: 650-802-6598 Email: [email protected] Online: SMCVeterans.org

Ed Kiryczun
San Mateo County Veterans Services Officer
[email protected]

Selina Toy Lee
Director of Program Integrity and Community Services (PICS)
San Mateo County Human Services Agency
[email protected]