Finding My Space in Social Work With Veterans
by Jessica Manfre
Finding my space in the social work world was like that feeling you get when you slide that last puzzle piece in; it’s a perfect fit and so incredibly satisfying. Although I am a passionate advocate for all vulnerable populations, my heart is called to serve our United States veterans. Part of this can be attributed to my connections to the military and knowing from personal experience what this life can do to a person. But the other reason is simply knowing that they deserve all we can give and more for raising their right hand for us. Their devotion and willingness to die to defend our freedom deserves more than just a “thank you for your service.” Those words ring hollow and meaningless when they can’t get the vital care or support for injuries they suffer from on our behalf. Thank you for your gratitude – but it’s not enough.
Reading reports over the last couple of years of veterans dying by suicide outside of VA hospitals solidified my commitment to devoting my social work career to serving them. I so desperately want to help make an impact on that number and bring my skill set to a system that is drowning. The latest federal data show that there are almost 50,000 vacant VA positions. We are losing veterans at an alarming rate to a system that can’t keep up with their needs. The latest Veterans Suicide Prevention Report released in September 2019 concluded that the suicide rate for veterans was 1.5 times higher than non-veterans in 2017. Clinicians are overworked, departments desperately understaffed, and our veterans are left suffering and paying the price for it.
My “why” behind choosing to work with veterans is glaringly obvious. I am the spouse of an active duty military member, and I have a family history of military service. My grandfather served in the Army during the Korean War, and I was raised by an uncle who also served in the Army, over in Vietnam. Spending time processing my thoughts on this subject has shown me that part of why I do what I do is rooted in love for them. They never talked about their experiences during those wars, but I know from heavy research the trauma they would have been exposed to. Looking back, I can see what I thought were personality quirks as a younger child were symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They made it, but almost 20 a day don’t. Please don’t forget our veterans – they’ve never forgotten you.
Named the Armed Forces Insurance 2019 Coast Guard Spouse of the Year for leadership and continuous devotion to community service, Jessica Manfre is an MSW graduate student at the University of Central Florida, currently completing the clinical year of internship requirements at a homeless shelter for veterans. She is a proud military spouse, mother of two, obsessed book reader, and coffee worshipper.