Though they share identical case dimensions, the .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO are slightly different—and the .223 Wylde makes the most of both of these loads.

Brad Fitzpatrick

The 5.56×45 NATO broke cover in 1957 as a military cartridge, and since that time it has served in multiple campaigns and conflicts around the globe. The 5.56×45 offered a lot—it was a flat-shooting, fast cartridge with minimal recoil and minimal weight (read: you can carry a lot of them). So great was the 5.56 that it soon followed in civilian garb as the .223 Remington, a cartridge that has remained viable and popular since its release date.

There are some that will tell you that a .223 and a 5.56 are the same cartridge. Well, in terms of case dimension, that is true. So, how do they differ?

The short answer is that they differ with regard to pressure and chamber dimensions. Pressures in the 5.56 cartridge are higher than the .223, and as a result the chamber of the 5.56 is different as well. There’s more throat length in a 5.56 barrel—about .077 inches—and the angle of the throat is different to accommodate increased pressures. It is, therefore, alright to fire a .223 cartridge in a 5.56 chamber, but going the other way can cause pressure problems. Simply put, the .223 doesn’t perform as well in 5.56 chambers as it could. If you have two cartridges that are so similar in external case dimensions why not have one chamber that makes the best of both loads?

Enter Bill Wylde. Bill had the idea to create a chamber that would serve the 5.56 and the .223 Remington equally well. The .223 Wylde has the same chamber angling as the standard 5.56 chamber, so there’s no problem with pressures, and it also has a .2240 freebore diameter. The result? You have a chamber that is sufficient to handle the hotter 5.56 load without concerns about pressure and you get the gilt-edge accuracy that’s common in many quality .223 rifles.

Is there a compelling reason to switch to a Wylde chamber? Well, the most obvious reason is that you can fire .223 ammo without giving up accuracy and 5.56 ammo without worrying about excess pressure. Sure, you can fire .223 ammo all day from a 5.56 without worrying about pressure problems thanks to generous chamber size, but if you really want to tighten those groups that .2240 freebore diameter helps. In fact, .223 Wylde chambers are known for extreme accuracy, which is better on the whole than what you can expect from a standard 5.56×45 chamber.

Better accuracy, more versatility with ammo—so what’s the downside? Well, right now that can be cost and availability. The gains that the .223 Wylde provides haven’t prompted a whole bunch of companies to swap to that chamber, but there are certainly .223 Wylde-chambered target rifles out there. Do you need a Wylde? No, but it will help your long game and will make your AR rifle even more versatile than it is now.

What candidates—and statistics—say about gun violence in America.

With the 2016 presidential election on the horizon, candidates from both parties have developed stances on gun control and Second Amendment rights. As you might imagine, these stances vary greatly, and the recent Democratic debate sparked controversy over gun rights in America. Of particular interest to candidates on both sides of the debate were “assault” weapons bans, magazine restrictions, and universal background checks.

At the forefront of the debate was the notion of an “assault” weapons ban. Both Martin O’Malley and Hillary Clinton support legislation that bans or severely limits the sale of “assault” weapons, but the very term “assault weapon” is ambiguous and could open the door to the regulation of a wide variety of firearms. The sale of machine guns, short-barreled shotguns and a variety of other weapons has been regulated since the 1934 National Firearms Act, and today most candidates use the term to describe semiautomatic weapons like AR-15s. But the NRA-ILA contends that banning these firearms would have little effect on crime rates and would unfairly restrict American citizens from purchasing firearms designed for hunting, sport shooting and home defense.

photo credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

“ ‘Assault weapon’ is the term that gun control supporters use to malign general-purpose rifles like the AR-15,” says the NRA-ILA website. “Americans now own five million AR-15s, the number is growing by several hundred thousand annually, and the nation’s murder rate is down by more than half since 1991. They’re commonly used for home defense, sports (such as the NRA’s National Defense Match, NRA High Power, and Three-Gun), and hunting.”

The increase in the number of state-issued concealed carry permits and a growing number of right-to-carry laws has coincided with a significant drop in U.S. homicides—a fact rarely addressed when stricter gun control laws are being pushed.

“Forty-two states have Right-to-Carry laws, and 48 states prohibit cities from imposing gun laws more restrictive than state law,” says the NRA-ILA. “From 1991 to 2012, the total violent crime rate declined 49% to a 42-year low, and the murder rate declined by 52% to a 49-year low.”

Magazine restrictions, often erroneously referred to as “clip restrictions” by gun control advocates, are recommended by O’Malley, Clinton and others. Many self-defense handguns have magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, and these firearms would, under these proposed laws, be considered unlawful to own. But the NRA contests that magazine restrictions are not an effective means by which to control gun violence but rather another restriction that is aimed at gun owners and manufacturers.

“Most modern ammunition magazines designed for defensive purposes hold more than 10 rounds for handguns and 20 or more rounds for rifles,” says the NRA-ILA. “Not surprisingly, gun control supporters who claim that firearms aren’t useful for defensive purposes, claim that such magazines are also not useful for defense, but are instead only useful to criminals. The congressionally-mandated study of the federal ‘large’ magazine ban of 1994-2004 found that such magazines had only rarely been used in crime, a subsequent study found that revolvers were more associated with criminal gun injuries than semi-automatic pistols, and the official report on the Virginia Tech shooting concluded that a 10-round magazine limit would have not made much difference in the outcome of the crime. Americans own well over 100 million ‘large’ magazines and the nation’s murder rate is nearly at an all-time low.”

The issue of background checks has also taken center-stage in 2015, and several candidates are pushing for “more thorough” checks. But according to the NRA’s findings, background checks are not an effective means by which to control violence but rather a further restriction on gun owners. Current federal law requires anyone who purchases a firearm to be screened through the National Instant Criminal Background Check, or NICS, and felons are currently prohibited from owning firearms.

“Gun control supporters demand that sales and trades of firearms that don’t involve dealers be subject to NICS as well,” says the NRA-ILA. “They claim that such a law would prevent criminals from getting guns, but most criminals obtain guns from theft, the black market, or ‘straw purchasers’—people who can pass a background check and who buy guns for criminals. Furthermore, none of the high-profile crimes that they cite involved guns bought without a background check.”

The rights of America’s estimated 100 million gun owners are at stake, and legislation that, in effect, restricts or limits gun owners and does little to address the root causes of violence, serves little purpose in making American streets safer. The notion that purported “gun control” measures will help make the United States a more secure nation has not been backed by statistical evidence. It’s more important, then, that American gun owners understand that our rights as citizens must be preserved and that other significant issues in our culture like concerns over mental health are need to be addressed immediately. Taking firearms out of the hands of American citizens is not the answer to decreasing violence and preserving our rights.

-Brad Fitzpatrick

Writer/Contributor

October 22, 2015

Photo: ABC News

“He didn’t stand a chance.” Often when a Jihadist gunman is involved, that statement would be made about a victim. This time was much better. Those words were spoken by Anthony Sadler, one of three being hailed as American heroes today. He was talking about the Islamic terrorist he and his two buddies derailed on a train bound for Paris from Amsterdam.

The gunman is a 25-year old Moroccan national. He has been identified as Ayoub El Khazzani. Counter-terrorism authorities in France and Spain knew of him. The French say he had been living in Spain until last year when he went to Syria “due to his membership of the radical Islamist movement.”

Here is how the scene played out.

The French operated Thalys high-speed train has just passed from Belgium into Northern France. A 28-year old French passenger was first to notice the suspect as the gunman left a toilet cubicle. He was armed with a Kalashnikov rifle, a Luger automatic pistol, multiple magazines, and a box-cutter. Ayoub El Khazzani got away and opened fire on board.

The next heroic act came from a Franco-American passenger in his 50s. He tried to stop the Islamic extremist and was shot in the shoulder.

Then came the main event. A pair of off-duty U.S. Military heroes and their American friend overpowered the gunman.

22-year old Alex Skarlatos had recently returned from serving our country in Afghanistan. He is a member of the National Guard in Oregon. Skarlatos said, “I didn’t realize what was happening until I saw a guard run past. I looked back and saw a guy enter with a Kalashnikov. My friends and I got down and then I said ‘Let’s get him.'”

The group may have caught a lucky break in that the gunman’s firearm may have jammed. Adds Skarlatos, “We didn’t know if the gun wasn’t working or anything like that. Spencer just ran anyway and if anyone had gotten shot, it would have been Spencer and we’re just very lucky that nobody got killed.”

Spencer Stone, a member of the United States Air Force bull rushed the gunman and put him in a chokehold. He was cut in the neck and hand by a box cutter. A surgery was successful to prevent him from losing his thumb.

Skarlatos finished the job. “At that point I showed up and grabbed the gun from him and basically started beating him in the head until he fell unconscious.” Sadler says, “He didn’t say anything. He was just telling us to give back his gun. ‘Give me back my gun! Give me back my gun!’ But we just carried on beating him up and immobilized him and that was it.”

Khazzani was hog tied with his hands and feet behind his back. Bare-chested, he was arrested when the train stopped at the Arras station in Northern France with 554 passengers aboard. He is now being interrogated by counter-terrorism officials.

President Barack Obama singled out the American heroes saying, “It is clear that their heroic actions may hve prevented a far worse tragedy. Without their cool-headed actions we could have been faced with a terrible incident.”

On Monday at the Elysse Palace, French President Francois Hollande will honor the American heroes and a British man for their heroics on the train. Thanks to all of them for their bravery. Hopefully, they will serve as inspiration to others to stand together and take action in self-defense.

Photo: U.S. Army

You’re not the only one who is already looking forward to Friday. 96 students will be graduating that day from the rough and rigorous U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Every graduating class from this intensive training program is special. Friday’s group is special and unique. It includes the first two female Soldiers to earn the right to wear the respected and coveted Army Ranger tab.

The Pentagon released a statement to the media. “Congratulations to all of our new Rangers,” said Secretary of the Army, John M. McHugh. “Each Ranger School graduate has shown the physical and mental toughness to successfully lead organizations at any level. This course has proven that every Soldier, regardless of gender, can achieve his or her full potential. We owe Soldiers the opportunity to serve successfully in any position where they are qualified and capable, and we continue to look for ways to select, train, and retain the best Soldiers to meet our Nation’s needs.”

The two women whose names were not released by the Pentagon are among the first females admitted into the Army Ranger School program since it was opened more than six decades ago. Back in April of this year, the gender addition experiment was instituted on a trial basis.

Friday’s graduating class of 94 men and 2 women represent those who met all of the requirements of the challenging 62-day (and night) course. The current Army Ranger School class started out with a total of 381 men and 19 women. As you can see by the numbers, less than 1 in 4 male Soldiers in the class will graduate. Less than 1 in 9 female Soldiers successfully completed the grueling mission.

The Army Ranger School training program is a test of one’s physical and mental skills and strength. Pentagon officials call it “The U.S. Army’s premier combat leadership course.” They describe the curriculum as “teaching Ranger students how to overcome fatigue, hunger, and stress to lead Soldiers during small unit combat operations.”

Minimal amounts of food and sleep were provided to students over the nearly nine-week period as they were forced to learn how to operate in mountain terrain, heavily wooded areas, and the Swamp Course at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

In addition, the Army Ranger candidates were required to complete the following activities which helped to keep their minds off being hungry and tired:

• 27 days of mock combat patrols
• 4 days of military mountaineering
• 4 air assaults on helicopters
• 3 parachute jumps
• A 12-mile foot march in three hours
• Multiple obstacle courses
• A swim test
• A land navigation test
• Physical fitness testing which included 59 sit-ups, 49 push-ups, six chin-ups, and a 5-mile run in 40 minutes

Approximately one in three Army Ranger School students are forced to “recycle” through at least one phase of the course. The two women graduates recycled through two phases of the course.

While the 2 female Army Ranger School graduates will make history this Friday, their futures come Saturday remain unclear. What is known is that unlike their 94 fellow male graduates, they are not yet eligible to apply for positions in the elite special operations force, the 75th Ranger Regiment, or other ground-combat jobs such as the infantry.

The Pentagon has ordered that all military occupations be opened to women. However, finalized decisions about what specific combat roles female Soldiers will be allowed to fulfill are not expected until later in the year.

Ares Armor Inc. salutes the 2 female Soldiers and 94 male Soldiers for their extraordinary efforts and accomplishment in earning the Army Ranger tab.

Today Barack Hussein Obama II turns 54. We cannot confirm the president got an AR-15 Rifle Kit as a birthday present. However, we can say with pride and gratitude… Happy 225^th Birthday to the Coast Guard!

On this day, August 4th, back in 1790, the U.S. Congress authorized Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, to establish a national maritime service. Ten vessels were built to enforce custom laws on tariff and trade to protect federal revenue and prevent smuggling. It was a system of cutters with multiple names including the US Lighthouse Service, Revenue Cutter Service, and Revenue-Marine Service.

In 1838, more humanitarian responsibilities were expanded to include providing aid for mariners in distress, as well as better security for the lives of passengers on vessels powered in some way by steam. This became the Steamboat Inspection Service. Forty years later, the U.S. Life-Saving Service was established as a separate agency.

President Woodrow Wilson in 1915 signed into law the “Act to Create the Coast Guard.” This was a merger of the five federal services. Since then, the Coast Guard has repeatedly had to navigate the political bureaucratic seas.

For World War I, Wilson transferred control of the Coast Guard to the U.S. Navy. He switched it back to the U.S. Treasury in 1919. What’s interesting is one month before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor to start World War II, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8929 to transfer the Coast Guard back under Navy control.

Later it was sent sailing back to the Treasury Department, then in 1967 it went to the Department of Transportation. Its latest port of call was in 2003 when it was transferred to the newly established, Department of Homeland Security. But during wartime or by special presidential order, the Coast Guard goes back under U.S. Navy control.

Today on its birthday, there are more than 40,000 men and women serving as active-duty members of the Coast Guard. They belong to one of our nation’s five official military services.

The Coast Guard is busy on a range of 11 types of heroic missions protecting our inland waterways, our coasts, and on international waters. They are responsible for various law enforcement, humanitarian and environmental protection operations in three key areas:

• Maritime Safety
• Maritime Security
• Maritime Stewardship

For good reason, Coast Guard members are widely recognized for their courageous life-saving performances in search and rescue operations in all kinds of weather conditions.

Happy Birthday. Semper Paratus.

Photo: Royal Netherlands Army flag

In military training, accidents happen. So, if there was ever a good time for Dutch Army soldiers to get shot during training exercises…that time is now. In the short-term, there is safety in the long-term danger of the current Dutch Army ammunition crisis.

Here is the story plain and simple about the NATO member:

“Het Nederlandse leger heeft geen munitie.”

That’s how the folks in the Netherlands would say in their native tongue, “The Dutch Army doesn’t have any ammo.”

An confidential email sent from a Defence Summit official to Army officers got leaked to the Dutch broadcaster RTL. Here are excerpts from it which tell how severe the Dutch Army ammunition crisis really is.

“You are informed of the problems with the ammunition Ministry of Defence in the broadest sense of the word. The problems were and are large…and there is a freeze agreed period. During that period, freeze all components have to surrender their ammunition…We are on the eve of the expiry of the freeze period, but that is not the problem ended. I will briefly outline some within the rest of 2015 but also well into 2016:

There is a shortage of all small caliber ammunition…

Competition shooting teams will not shoot until further notice…

Consequences and concerns over training of the staff should be indicated in the usual reports…

I cannot make it better, but there’s really no ammunition. This applies Defence Wide.”

You could say they just have the right to “bare” arms. Being banned from the ability to use bullets in their guns during training exercises, the Dutch Army ammunition crisis has soldiers faking the sounds of rifle fire, and getting frustrated doing it.

Jean Debie, chairman of the military union VBM, “Even if you have no bullets, you have to train with your weapon,” Jean Debie, chairman of the VBM (union for defence personnel) told RTL, “That means, as a soldier, you say ‘Bang, Bang!’ This is obviously disastrous for the morale of the military. You do not want to do this to a professional.”

The Defence Ministry released a statement admitting the Dutch Army ammunition crisis, saying there are “sometimes tight inventories” as part of the ongoing problem. “There is not always sufficient ammunition available for exercises and training. The Defence Ministry understands troops are not always happy with this. Once additional funding is available, the stockpiles will be replenished in 2015.”

A financial report by the European Leadership Network states 2015 will be first year in over a decade where the Dutch government will spend more on its defence budget rather than less.

It could trigger a new and stronger Call to Arms. Or, it could not. U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton B. “Ash” Carter wants military leaders to provide him with plans to beef up security for troops at home. He has given the service secretaries until August 21 to do so.

Ash Carter became the 25 Secretary of Defense in February 2015, replacing Chuck Hagel. In a memo just released from Carter, he urged military officials to “develop action plans to improve the security and force protection of DoD personnel.” This comes in response to the recent Chattanooga shootings in which Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, went on a rampage at military locations, killing 4 U.S. Marines and a U.S. Navy Petty Officer.

Carter is ordering the military services to consider new policies which would enhance security for troops at home. The good news is it potentially includes arming more personnel. Nationwide, the Department of Defense (DoD) has roughly 7,000 sites outside military installations. The personnel in these locations include working at civilian office parks, shopping malls, and college campuses.

One of the big challenges for the DoD is adding guns is the matter of state’s rights. Many of these DoD employees work in states which have strict gun laws.

More Arms and Muscle?

Despite being appointed by President Obama, Ash Carter did place ammo on the table. He noted in his memo that the existing Department of Defense policy currently in place already authorizes the arming of additional “qualified DoD personnel (not regularly engaged in law enforcement activities) based on the threat and the immediate need to protect DoD assets and lives.”

However, a Pentagon spokesman said Carter is not in a rush to expand the amount of DoD personnel who are authorized to carry firearms on the job. “Looking at arming personnel doesn’t mean that is what the services will decide,” said U.S. Navy Captain Jeff Davis. “We recognize there are situations where this is not going to be the best option, to have people walking around armed. And certainly that is something that the services will be very aware of when they are looking at this.”

Carter’s memo also urged military officials to have their action plans consider additional solutions including:

• Any measures including changes to policy and procedures that protect our force against the evolving threat.
• Identifying physical and procedural ways to upgrade or improve off-installation site security.
• A new assessment of “mass warning notification systems and regional alert systems” to identify risks or gaps in security.

Let’s hope Ash Carter and the military leaders come to the conclusions every “Lone Wolf” gunman and terrorist group already know: A gun-free zone makes for a soft target.

Its name came out of respect for veterans. Its mission came out of respect for civilians, law enforcement and military professionals. Now, the new Warfighter Academy is bringing together these communities by serving them with a one of a kind, state of the art, defensive weapons and tactical training center.

The 32,000 square-foot training facility is located in Escondido, California. That’s about 25 miles southeast of Camp Pendleton in Southern California. Warfighter Academy just opened its doors a month ago, acting as a great bridge between the city’s past and future. Its team of owners, both retired military and civilians, have renovated the old Escondido Police Headquarters which had become overrun with vandals, squatters, and animal critters.

Mission accomplished. Really.

Dave Maynard is the Master Instructor at Warfighter Academy, and rightly so. Dave is a legend in the tactical operations community. He began his career as a U.S. Navy SEAL back in 1972. He successfully completed roughly 30 combat deployments, with his final deployment in 2012. Over that 40 year span, he trained with basically every high speed group and government agency. Dave Maynard is considered the world’s leading authority on Low Light Training, and one of the world’s top experts on gunfighting.

Dave and his partner, Sonny Garcia, have been working together training various special forces for the past eight years. Now, along with U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton, Matthew Quinn and Joe Smith, they have created a facility they say is the first of its kind in the United States.

Warfighter Academy is the place where experienced combat veterans provide you with exceptional, adaptable training opportunities which can develop or fine tune your skills. It’s the same type of high adrenaline, instructional training which American forces have been successfully doing around the world for more than 40 years.

“We’ve known there has been a big outcry for civilian training,” says Sonny Garcia, one of the owners of Warfighter Academy. “People are always asking us how they can get military-style training. And both law enforcement and military professionals are always looking for more training to hone their skills.”

Now, men and women of all ages, as well as teens, can get the same military combative concepts, and training this team has done for years. The big difference is they’ve made it more manageable to fit busy American lifestyles. “We’ve taken our 5-day 60-hour training sessions and broke them down into intense 90-minute skill set classes on 4 different levels,” explains Garcia. “What’s great is we have the ability to train people with all levels of experience, and each level of our program builds upon the next.”

The Warfighter Academy offers specialized courses is essential skills including:

• individual force-on-force
• individual room clearing
• room clearing with a partner and/or team
• low light tactics

Warfighter Academy Escondido also provides true home defense and other real-life scenarios for civilians. You’ll get trained on how to neutralize aggressors in customized layouts such as home residences, business offices, and school classrooms.

Because defensive weapons and tactics training must be repeated and updated to maintain the highest standards of skill and safety, Garcia adds, “There are no real firearms and live fire on the property. A lot of people are intimidated. They own guns but don’t really know what to do with them. Everything we do is simulated. It will be a no-stress environment.”

Along the same lines, they also offer various membership packages. This helps people get the training they want in affordable and cost-effective ways.

“The work the boys at Warfighter Academy are doing is simply amazing,” says U.S. Marine, Will Smith, Director of Wholesale Accounts at Ares Armor Inc. “They are offering a chance for anyone to learn the basics of gun fighting and the chance to evolve their skills under the guidance of some excellent teachers. In this day and age, those very skills may save your life or the lives of innocent people.”

Today, was moving day for the bodies of the 4 murdered U.S. Marines ambushed yesterday by Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They were being flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. From there, they are being returned to their respective families.

In normal circumstances, their loved ones would be thrilled to see their favorite U.S. Marine. But this is anything but a normal time. This is the aftermath of some twisted Jihad waged yesterday on the homeland against the United States of America.

The identities of these 4 murdered U.S. Marines have been released to the public. We thank each of them for their love of country, and their personal choice to dedicate themselves in brave and loyal service of her, and to defend her against all enemies foreign and domestic. It is with gratitude, sadness, and anger that we share the personal information of these standout fallen U.S. Marines here.

Thank you Sergeant Carson A. Holmquist (USMC) of Polk, Wisconsin. May you proudly rest in peace, Marine. May your friends, family, and colleagues find comfort and relief, and enjoy the fondest of memories with you.

Thank you Gunnery Sergeant Thomas J. Sullivan (USMC) of Hampden, Massachusetts . May you proudly rest in peace, Marine. May your friends, family, and colleagues find comfort and relief, and enjoy the fondest of memories with you.

Thank you Staff Sergeant David A. Wyatt (USMC) of Burke, North Carolina. May you proudly rest in peace, Marine. May your friends, family, and colleagues find comfort and relief, and enjoy the fondest of memories with you.

Thank you Lance Corporal “Skip” Squire K. Wells (USMCR) of Cobb, Georgia. May you proudly rest in peace, Marine. May your friends, family, and colleagues find comfort and relief, and enjoy the fondest of memories with you.

General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. is the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. He issued this request regarding his 4 murdered U.S. Marines: “Please keep our fallen Marines in Tennessee and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Also pray for a speedy recovery of those wounded and affected by this tragedy. Our focus remains on supporting the families of our Marines.”

Yesterday we looked at PTSD Awareness Day 2015. Today, let’s not pull the trigger on comparing PTSD and civilians with PTSD and Veterans. We’ll call them for what they are…different.

At Ares Armor Inc., some of those walking and working among us bravely and proudly served our country in the United States Armed Forces. They know the unique dangers and challenges of military veterans both on deployment, and at home. Their close friends and families know a thing or two about these as well.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD and Veterans: The Mission

Learning the facts, spreading the word, and building support for PTSD and Veterans is the mission. It is an honor and duty, should you choose to accept. This is a Call to Arms against the mental wounds of warriors which are not visible, which do not heal quickly, or easily.

But heal they can.

And help we must.

PTSD and Veterans is real. It is a real-life problem with a real-life opportunity for you to make a difference. Help a member of U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, or U.S. Coast Guard to seek professional support for PTSD, and you can return the favor they have done for you. U.S. Military veterans serve and fight to protect your safety and freedom. This is your chance to help them regain theirs which were taken, or are missing in action.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD and Veterans: Statistics

There are many unanswered questions regarding the possibilities and prevalence of PTSD and veterans. What is known is it can be debilitating and deadly for men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces. It haunts Vietnam Veterans who did tours of hell nearly 50 years ago. More recent, PTSD impacts those who have fought in Iraq. It afflicts those who have fought in Afghanistan.

PTSD does not discriminate.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is not about what our veterans did as brave warriors. It is about what they have experienced as human beings. They often face the frontline in various life and death situations, and tackle other traumatic events. Some veterans get deployed and see combat. Some are victims of Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Stationed from Baghdad to Benghazi, they witness a wide range of traumatic events and experiences. Any or all could lead to PTSD.

With so many moving targets, PTSD and Veterans is hard to wrap your arms around. Do the statistics include those who are trained to fight, who suffer on their own trying to defeat the invisible enemy within?

Photo: Rand Corp.

Open questions aside, here are some key statistics from the RAND study on PTSD and Veterans:

• Vietnam veterans also report high lifetime rates of PTSD ranging from 10% to 31%.

• At least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or Depression. Some military counselors think the percentage rate is higher especially when combined with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

• 19% of veterans may have traumatic brain injury (TBI).

• 50% of U.S. Military Veterans with PTSD do not seek treatment.

• Of the half who seek treatment, only half of them get “minimally adequate” treatment.

• 20,000 Military Sexual Assaults in 2014 representing 5% of all active-duty women and 1% of all active-duty men.

• The 2012 VA Suicide Data Report estimates there are 22 suicides a day among U.S. Veterans. Others say the daily suicide rate is lower.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD and Veterans: Resources

• For urgent matters, the Veterans Crisis Line is a round the clock VA program connecting veterans in crisis, as well as their loved ones with qualified, caring responders. All 24/7 communication (toll-free hotline, live online chat, and text) is confidential. Call1-800-273-8255. Press #1. chat online, or text to

• TheDefense Centers of Excellence (DCOE) provides 24/7 assistance with valuable information from health resource consultants. Through this call center you can receive confidential answers, tips, and resources about PTSD, psychological health, and traumatic brain injury. If they cannot answer your custom question, they refer you to someone who can. Here is a link to find the DCoE Outreach Center You can also call 866-966-1020, or email [email protected]. NOTE: This does not serve as a counseling or treatment center.

• The DCOE sponsored Real Warriors Campaign is designed to encourage help-seeking, appropriate psychological care among military veterans and their families in coping with invisible wounds, such as PTSD.

• Coaching into Care is a private, free VA program offering assistance to help loved ones help the veterans in their lives with the adjustment of returning home from combat. Call (888) 823-7458.

• Make the Connection is another VA program with a website you can customize for getting connected with information, resources, videos, and more.

• Veterans of Foreign Wars. The local VFW is a place where all veterans are accepted just by walking in the door. Here you may find those who served in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, and up through wears in Irag and Afghanistan. At a VFW, vets don’t have to hide anything or even say anything. They can just be. As one honorable U.S. Marine said, “Sometimes I go to the VFW just to get away. Having a beer with somebody who knows…that in and of itself can be extremely healing.” Find your local VFW Post here.

To begin your mission in supporting the PTSD and Veterans cause, please share this information with your online community.