NWH_ A Salute to Veterans_111122

By SUE DOBBE-LEAHY For Shaw Media

What started as a one-day event to honor women veterans has trans formed into a multi-faceted, lasting art installation and reminder that women in uniform deserve recognition.

In August, a group met at Veterans R&R Operation Wild Horse in Bull Val ley to quite literally walk in the foot steps – or bootsteps – of local women veterans.

Fifty veteran women were asked to decorate a pair of their military boots, and the boots lined a walking path that event-goers were encouraged to tra verse.

Col. Patty Klop spoke at the event about her personal experiences in the military, her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and her recent recov ery after years of suffering from the dis order.

Now, those boots can be seen in var ious McHenry County businesses to honor and recognize women veterans not just for Veterans Day, but for the entire month of November.

The Walk a Mile in Her Boots event, and its subsequent shift into an art installation, was a collaborative effort of veteran organizations led by William Chandler Peterson American Legion Post 171 in Crystal Lake.

But the push to recognize women veterans specifically has been a yearlong challenge that Post 171 has under taken after hearing the staggering sta tistics of veteran suicide risks.

“Our emphasis on women veterans came about when we learned that women veterans are 250 percent more likely to attempt and die from suicide than women who did not serve in the

military,” said Bob Dorn, senior vice commander of Post 171.

That statistic, coupled with this year’s National American Legion pro gram titled “Be the One,” which empha sizes being present and ready to act when a veteran is at risk for suicide, galvanized the Crystal Lake legion into action. Its annual Vets 4 Veterans’ & Blue Families in June had a decided focus on women veterans and featured a special tent that allowed females to share conversations.

This month, Dorn and his members partnered with VFW Post 4600 McHenry, VFW Post 12014 Crystal Lake, American Legion Post 491 McHenry, PLAV Post 188 McHenry, and Rush Hospital’s Road Home Pro gram to continue the Walk a Mile in Her Boots program.

Each organization shared in the task

of distributing decorated boots to busi nesses throughout McHenry County.

In addition, local businesses will offer a special insert that highlights 12 local women veterans and shares their stories of serving their country and communities. Donations will be col

lected to support services to prevent suicide and address PTSD.

Women veterans are less likely to participate in veteran programs and groups as many are male dominated, See BOOTS, page 14

Bob Dorn, senior vice commander of Post 171

Women veterans keep on serving

By SUE DOBBE-LEAHY For Shaw Media

Military service is just that: a choice made to serve.

Perhaps it’s because of their nature, or perhaps it’s because of their train ing, but many female soldiers find they have the capacity and drive to serve in ways beyond their initial military ser vice.

Marine Col. Patty Klop is one who has made a mission of helping others who have served to seek the help they may need for post traumatic stress dis order and other mental and physical health concerns. “I want to encourage others to not suffer needlessly, but to find the support to live their best lives,” she said.

Many who have left the military vol unteer with nonprofits that help veter ans and their communities.

These who are still active duty and have decades of tenure often find them selves gravitating toward military careers that support, protect and uplift veterans and their families.

Several McHenry County women

exemplify this notion of serving beyond their military enlistment. Learn more about them below.

Pulling rank

Col. Patty Klop, one of the few women to reach such a high rank in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, is an advo cate for those suffering with post-trau matic stress disorder.

After two combat deployments – one to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Free dom, and another to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Free dom as the mortuary affairs officer-incharge – Klop found herself exhibiting signs of PTSD: uncharacteristic anger, anxiety, depression, irritability, and hypervigilance.

For years, she suffered through

these symptoms.

It wasn’t until earlier this year when she spent 7 weeks at an inpatient treat ment center in Cincinnati that she finally felt whole again, she said.

“I’ve learned to live my best life today, in mind, body, and spirit, thanks to the PTSD inpatient treatment I received from the VA,” she said.

Today, the Wauconda resident is driven to speak up about her experi ence, particularly while she’s still an active-duty colonel, because it “gives me a legitimacy to encourage male and female military – especially Marines, as they are specifically the ‘war unit’ of the U.S. military – to get help for PTSD,” she said.

“I know personally the devastation it can create on health, family and career,” she said. “But my results prove that there is treatment that can save lives.”

Klop shared her story of enduring PTSD at “Walk a Mile in Her Boots,” a women veterans event hosted in August by William Chandler Peterson American Legion Post 171 at Veterans R&R Operation Wild Horse in Bull Val ley.

Col. Patty Klop

Melissa Downey

She has also shared her story on radio, online and at other events to motivate others who are suffering from PTSD to seek help.

Additionally, Klop works as an advi sor for “Freedom, Fitness, America,” a nonprofit that prepares military ser vicemen and women to be “fit for the fight and life” by staying physically, mentally and spiritually prepared for the violence of combat and to excel in tackling obstacles in everyday life.

Taking care of others in uniform Melissa Downey is still active in the Army National Guard – a post she’s had since 1993.

But her service extends far beyond her current role as senior food service advisor to brigade leadership.

She also works for the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs as a Veteran Service Officer where she helps veterans, dependents and surviv ing family members apply for benefits.

“As long as I’ve been in service, I’ve always tried to help take care of other soldiers while in uniform,” Downey said. “So, when I went to a VSO and he was dismissive of me and my case, I was disappointed in a fellow service member. I actually told him that I could do a better job as a VSO than he was doing.”

The Lake in the Hills resident also has been a victim advocate since 2008 and on-call volunteer for the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention (SHARP) program.

In her free time, Downey volunteers with Veterans R&R Operation Wild Horse in Bull Valley, fosters dogs with the Animal House Shelter in Huntley, and serves with her children at the Lake in the Hills Food Pantry.

Finding purpose

Ashton Kroner of Crystal Lake spent nearly eight years in the Marine Corps, and she experienced firsthand the chal lenges of coming back home.

“I struggled with finding my pur pose outside of the Marines,” she said.

It was when she started working with the Road Home Program at Rush University Medical Center that she finally found purpose.

Her job as outreach manager of the Road Home Program is to introduce people to its multiple programs, which are dedicated to the mental health and wellness of veterans and service mem bers of the National Guard, reservists, and their families.

The Road Home Program offers intensive outpatient programs, in-per son therapy and counseling and family care and support at no cost and regard less of discharge status.

While she jokes that her job is “a professional friend maker,” Kroner noted she is grateful her position has given her the opportunity to help the

veteran community.

“I have seen the veterans that come through our program leave in a better place than when they first walked through our doors,” she said.

‘My way to give back’

Nicole Eisenrich is an Air Force vet eran who works full-time as an AVP, senior risk control consultant at Galla gher, an insurance brokerage and risk management services firm.

But for the last six years, she’s also worked part-time as coordinator for Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies, a pro gram for disabled veterans run by the Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association.

HMHB has provided fitness center access, personal trainers, social activi ties and camaraderie for more than 350 participants since 2013.

Eisenrich, who lives in Lake in the Hills, also puts together an annual cal endar of events to keep veterans net working and socializing.

“This can be a big step in improving mental health, overall wellness, self-confidence and socialization for the participants,” said Eisenrich. “This is my way to give back!”

We Salute You…

the many men and women who have fought for the freedom we enjoy today.

Robert G. Mrachek

Ashton Kroner

Nicole Eisenrich

BOOTS

said Dorn. This isolation can contrib ute to PTSD and suicide ideation.

Melissa Downey, who has been on active duty in the Army National Guard since 1993, agreed that services for women veterans need to be differ ent.

“I think we have different needs than male veterans because for a long time – and still some[times] now – we have had to face additional challenges due to be a pregnant solider, leaving our children and sometimes the hard est challenge was being considered a peer amongst a majority of male sol diers,” said the Lake in the Hills resi dent. “When I was the only female in my unit in North Dakota, they all treated me differently and because of [that], I wasn’t promoted with my peers or ahead of my peers when doing better than them. I didn’t realize the inequal ity until I was older and more experi enced. For years, I would mentor female soldiers and discuss how we have to do our jobs and not expect dif ferent treatment just because we are female.”

Dorn and Legion members have assembled more than 40 area resources for veterans, with hopes for more

engagement and participation by women veterans and their families.

This type of collaboration is very much needed, said Laura Franz, execu tive director of Veterans Path to Hope, a Crystal Lake nonprofit that works as a hub of resources and services for vet erans, particularly with finding employment, housing and community for veterans.

“Bob’s leadership is amazing,” Franz said. “He is a wellspring of moti vation who inspires others. He is a real star. He sees what is needed to help oth ers and has assembled several success ful outreach programs.”

Franz echoed Downey’s thoughts, noting women veterans seeking assis tance often find that services are diluted because so much is male focused.

“Another reason veterans of both sexes do not get help is that they have been trained to be the ones who serve others,” said Franz. “Their mindset is to help others. Even when they come to VPH for services, they return and offer gratitude by emails, letters, phone calls and texts. Then, they ask how they can help us.”

Locations for Walk a Mile in Her Boots can be found at www.Legion CrystalLake171.org, and on the legion Facebook page

Photo provided

Veteran Donna Rasmussen of Crystal Lake painting military boots with her daughter and a friend for Walk a Mile in Her Boots.