Cybertruck explosion puts magnifying glass on resources available for Servicemembers, Veterans
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - After a Cybertruck exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, NV on New Year's Day investigators have been trying to piece together the clues as to why Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger did this.
Livelsberger was a Green Beret, who spent nearly a decade at Ft. Carson in the 10th Special Forces Group. Army spokesperson, Lt. Col. Ruth Castro shared that for the past two years, Livelsberger was stationed in Germany. Livelsberger joined the military in May of 2006. During that time, he was sent overseas for multiple deployments, five times to Afghanistan, and once to Ukraine, Tajikistan, the Republic of Georgia and the Republic of Congo.
"I failed him. We all failed him," said Alicia Arritt. Livelsberger's ex-girlfriend says he didn’t get the resources he needed, but the army says he took advantage of their services.
What Mt. Carmel wants to make clear is there are options.
"That's the message that can come across as well. If they sought services and it didn't work, then why should I? Right. But kind of as I mentioned earlier, that's where if it's not a good fit or your needs aren't getting met or you're not getting better, don't give up because you are not the problem," said Kirsten Belaire, Director of Behavioral Health with Mt. Carmel.
She says it's her honor to be able to help our nation's heroes every day.
"For me, there is nothing more powerful than being able to give back and having the opportunity to journey with people as they navigate through and process through some of the hardest things they've ever experienced and seeing them come out the other side, with a life that's richer, and more rejuvenating and more fulfilled. So that alone is so worth it," shared Belaire.
Belaire says there are ways that have been proven to help those struggling, one of which helped veteran Harry ‘Ty’ Upshaw.
After serving in the army for more than two decades, Upshaw retired, soon after he lost his father.
"Through counseling, at the VA, and then talking to some, some good friends, the support of my family, I was able to work through it," shared Upshaw.
He says it can be harder to ask for help than to just push your struggles to the back of your mind.
"It's easy to do that, right? To not get help, to not want to be better. It takes a stronger person to say, okay, I, I need help, you know, and whatever that looks like. Whether you're letting your friends help you, whether you take the advice of a friend, family mentor, someone you look up to, or even like self-referral like first step saying, I need help," said Upshaw.
Now, Upshaw says he tries to be a resource for his brothers and sisters in the service when they need a shoulder to lean on.
"If one person can make a difference in your life, right, that's a win," said Upshaw.
Now he helps other service members go to college at Grand Canyon University. Upshaw hopes to encourage others letting them know there is help out there for them.
"No one person is an island, right? There are all kinds of services that are there for you, you know, whether you know about it or you don't know about it. Maybe a friend of yours knows about it. Closing yourself off to help or to people, is only going to continue to keep you down the path that you're going," said Upshaw.
He also points to other services throughout El Paso County that aim to create a community and a safe space for veterans and service members, such as Healing Waters.
"So they're not necessarily here to provide you all the answers for you know what it may be that you're going through. But they're here to provide service to help you kind of navigate what you're going through. And by providing different events like fishing," said Upshaw, "You can you can go fishing. And that kind of helps provide like a calm surrounding, you know, where you're able to like, maybe not forget, but like decompress a little bit, you're able to, to get out of the out of your mind or out of your thoughts."
Mt. Carmel Veteran Service Center offers free screenings to direct servicemembers, veterans and family members in the right direction for treatment. If you would like to sign up for a free screening you can do so here.
If you are a soldier in need of assistance, here is a link to a full list of resources provided by Fort Carson.
Next Chapter is a state organization that aims to assist veterans in the transition from service. The group helps to provide services to try to prevent veteran suicides. If you, or someone you know may need any assistance from Next Chapter you can find more information here.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also sent KRDO13 this information regarding what services are available.
PTSD is a mental health condition that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening or traumatic event. Treatment options for Veterans range from outpatient settings and community-based clinics, to inpatient and residential programs. No matter the setting where they choose to get care in VA, Veterans have access to the most effective treatments for PTSD. These include Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and medication. Veterans also can receive PTSD care from community clinicians.
VA’s mission is to offer comprehensive support that is designed to save lives and get Veterans the world-class care they need, wherever they need it, whenever they need it. VA provides specialized treatment for PTSD through one of the largest integrated mental health systems in the United States. This includes mental health care at VA facilities, counseling at Vet Centers across America, 24/7 access to qualified crisis responders at the Veterans Crisis Line, free care for Veterans experiencing a suicidal crisis at any VA or non-VA facility, and much more.
In addition to the evidence-based options available, researchers across VA are refining current treatments and developing new ones, all with the goal of providing the best care to the nation’s Veterans. Recent innovations to remove barriers to care include delivering PTSD treatment through telemedicine and in compressed or “massed” formats that can shorten recovery time. VA’s National Center for PTSD website is a wealth of resources for Veterans, their loved ones, and providers.
VA and the Department of Defense also collaborate to synthesize available research findings and produce the PTSD Clinical Practice Guideline to promote evidence-based treatment for PTSD across both settings.
VA is are also conducting a comprehensive outreach campaign to encourage Veterans to reach out for support. To all Veterans, our message is that we are here for you. If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7 confidential support. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders, Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net, or text 838255.
VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes
