We Spend Billions to Train Soldiers — But Pennies to Help Them Come Home
- Katie Katz
- Jun 22
- 3 min read
We train our nation's heroes to enter chaos with precision, discipline, and control.
Soldiers are trained for combat. Officers are trained to confront disruption. Firefighters are trained to walk into flames and pull people out alive.
And we take that training seriously — because lives are at stake.
Every move is structured.
Every decision is rehearsed.
The mission is everything.
So why is it that when those same men and women come home, the structure disappears?
The Risk Doesn’t Go Down — It Multiplies
According to Pew Research, 63% of post-9/11 veterans said they had difficulty adjusting to civilian life — and for many, the most serious emotional trauma didn’t show up during deployment.It hit after they returned.
We treat reintegration like it’s the easy part — the homecoming, the celebration, the finish line. But in reality, it’s the part we’ve prepared for the least — and the part with the highest personal cost.
Suicide rates are highest among veterans in their first year post-discharge.
Divorce rates in military and first responder families top 60%.
Children raised in these homes experience anxiety, emotional disconnection, and behavioral disorders at twice the national average.
Spouses of veterans with PTSD are 40% more likely to develop trauma symptoms themselves.
And yet… there’s no national reintegration protocol.
No checklist.
No structure.
Nothing.
Why Reintegration Isn’t “Common Sense”
This isn’t about being a good spouse, a strong parent, or a resilient person.It’s about how trauma rewires the brain — and what happens when that rewiring is never addressed.
After years of chronic stress, combat, or crisis exposure, the nervous system doesn’t just calm down when the uniform comes off.It stays in survival mode.
Hypervigilance.
Emotional shutdowns.
Explosive reactions.
Deep detachment.
Inability to sleep, connect, or self-regulate.
And when families have no training or understanding of what’s happening, they start to personalize it. They blame themselves — or each other.
The Trauma Doesn’t Stay With the One Who Served
This is what no one tells you:
Trauma isn't isolated. It can spread.
It shows up in spouses who are constantly managing the emotional climate of the home.
It shows up in children who learn early how to “stay small,” avoid triggers, or carry silent fear.
It shows up in families who stop asking for help because every door they knock on says:“That’s not connected.”“It’s been too long.”“You don’t qualify.”
Or worse — they never ask for help at all.
FACT:
We spend an average of $50,000 per soldier to train them for war, and approximately $210 to bring each one home.
That’s completely reckless.
If the risk multiplies at home, and we’ve known it for decades, then where is the structure? Where is the mandated mental health protocol? Where is the family training? Where is the plan?
This Isn’t Someone Else’s Problem
As civilians, we don’t get to say “thank you for your service” and then look away while families drown in trauma they were never warned about.
These are our neighbors.
Our coaches.
Our colleagues.
Our friends.
They’re Americans — and they deserve more than the silence we’ve offered them.
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Imagine if every veteran family had access to something that actually made coming home safer — for everyone.
Well they don’t. So we built it.
The Family Reintegration Toolkit - A practical, real-world guide built with families, for families — because home should never be the most dangerous part of the journey.
✔️ Trauma education that breaks it down for the whole household — kids, spouses, and the veteran
🧠 Brain-based explanations of what actually happens during and after trauma
💬 Scripts, checklists, and strategies to rebuild safety, trust, and communication
📂 Preparation tools for emotional, legal, financial, and relational challenges
🧬 Intro guides to alternative therapies like EMDR, NAD+, ketamine, SGB, and more
🗺️ A phased reintegration roadmap designed for the whole family, not just the one who served🌐 Access to a digital community of peers, resources, and live zoom discussions
Access the Toolkit or Share It Forward
Coming home shouldn’t be the most dangerous part of the mission. And no family should be left to navigate it alone.
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Victory Bridge Foundation exists to bridge the divide between the 1% who serve and the 99% who don’t — through trauma-informed education, community connection, and national accountability. All funds go directly to programs that equip families, expand healing options, and ensure no one returns home unsupported.
Every toolkit, campaign, and partnership we build is rooted in one belief:
When families are equipped, communities stay strong — and no hero comes home to fight alone.
Learn more. Share the mission. Join the movement.
📩 For partnerships or media inquiries: media@victorybridge.org
📢 Follow us on Instagram: @victorybridgefoundation
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