I had a conversation with a good friend about if he was going to get the covid-19 vaccine or not. He is an Air Force veteran and a first responder, he told me he is schedule to get the vaccine this coming week. He like most of us are skeptical because of the slow rollout and was not sure whether it would happen or not, so he was just waiting to see. He described it as being like many of the vaccines we got in the military and we will see how this “experimental drug” works. He joked that it might counteract the anthrax shots we got while in the Air Force. My follow up joke was, who knows the anthrax shot may have already made us immune. This got me to thinking, are veterans going to be the ones to step up again to save lives by getting the vaccine. We are so used to being used as Guinea pigs by the government, at least those of us who have served years, this is nothing new to us, this is our normal.
For the 20 years I was in the military we were basically told that we did not have a choice but to get vaccinations. I know during Desert Storm we were given vaccines that was not approved by the FDA. I remember giving them my shot records for them to document an anthrax and botulism vaccine, but they refused to document it. We were told our options were to take the shot or go home and wait for an Article 15 for failing to follow a direct order. Since I was already in theater and did not want to be the crybaby in my unit, I took the vaccinations and went about my way. I have had several ongoing discussions with a friend who was deployed with me, we made a pact to back each other up if something went wrong linked to the vaccines. There are a lot of people who believe that the vaccine we got during Desert Storm has contributed to what is now known as Gulf War syndrome. But of course, the VA refuses to connect the dots even though other countries have. It will be a while before we know any long-term effects, if any from the COVID-19 vaccine, but I still feel it is worth the risk. In my opinion the risk is worth the reward.
I am worried that many veterans are isolated and more susceptible to suicide. But I must ask, is staying at home as bad as the virus itself and causing its own set of issues. One of my friends calls it 4 wall fever. He said that being stuck at home is almost as bad as getting the virus, at least the virus is a reason to stay at home. He was joking but I can see where this can cause a lot of depression in the veteran population. It concerns me about the severity of depression will increase the suicide rate for 2020 in our community and extend into 2021. The inability to get out and socialize and being active has caused a lot of veterans to become severely depressed. Getting the vaccine can change the isolation and allow folks to get out and back to their lives. We know the best remedy for depression is exercise and socialization. With the gyms closed and having to stay at home it is the worst thing that can happen to someone who struggle with depression. Since depression is a part of PTSD it worries me about where we will be in the future. This pandemic can play into the hands of some with PTSD because they want to stay at home. It also causes problems with the paranoia of going out and the inability to socialize with loved ones and friends.
I see the COVID-19 vaccine as a key to normalcy. We have been told that this vaccine is built upon prior vaccines that have been successful in the past. I chose to trust the process mainly because insurance companies do not want to be sued for an inferior or ineffective product. I just know that the military and veteran community has been used as guinea pigs before and almost always turns out for the best. I feel this is no different, if not better than the issues I had to deal with during Desert Storm and the experimental vaccines we were given. So, I will be stepping up and be one of the first in line when offered to get the vaccine in hopes of getting back to a normal life, helping the economy become vibrant again. Let us make 2021 the year that we overcome the pandemic, learn from hard lessons, and begin to get the life we had before all of this took place. I wish all my veteran family a Happy New Year and hope that 2021 will bring you and your family Sanity, Peace of Mind, Hope and Prosperity.
For questions or comments you can contact me at afterdutyvets@gmail.com. I also have a program available for those who live with someone who has PTSD. 7 Keys to a Successful PTSD Relationship is available on our webpage www.afterdutyvets.com