“After returning from Kuwait in 2014, I was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. My first few months home were filled with suicidal thoughts and severe depression,” said Kyle Orian, an Army and Air Force veteran.
Orian served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Desert Storm. After nearly 15 years in the military, he also suffers from nerve damage in his hands, chronic back pain and a traumatic brain injury.
“My psychiatrist recommended I do a year-long treatment, but I wasn’t comfortable being gone that long. But I did end up going away for a few months,” said Orian.
Orian applied for Line of Duty benefits to help cover his expenses while he was unable to work. He is currently waiting on word back about his case. In the meantime, his brother takes care of him while his wife Sarah works full-time to pay the bills.
“While I was away in treatment, my wife did a lot of research and came across the VFW Unmet Needs program. When I came home, we applied for it,” says Orian.
“We needed a reliable car to get me back and forth to the VA Medical Center for my almost daily appointments. Within the last three months, I’ve had surgery on both hands.”
Orian and his wife applied for a $1,400 grant to cover repairs on their car. They were approved and got the money in just two weeks.
“The VFW keeps their promises, and we were blown away by how smooth and immediate the process was,” said Orian.
“This experience has been a lifesaver. We also received a $500 gift card to Wal-Mart—which was unexpected and so beneficial!” says Orian. “Hats off to the VFW supporters. They’re angels in our eyes.”
The VFW Unmet Needs program assists service members and veterans who have been deployed in the last six years and have run into unexpected financial difficulties as a result of deployment or other military-related activity. To learn more about VFW Unmet Needs program or to apply, click here.