To “stand down” in combat is to take a recuperative break from the action. Events such as the North Coast Stand Down, held Oct. 3 through Oct. 5 at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds, offer respite and help for veterans engaged in the battles of civilian life: coping with service-related trauma, homelessness, joblessness and more.
The first Stand Down was held in San Diego in 1988. Humboldt County held its first event in 2005. This year’s was the 10th, and largest, of the local nonprofit events, with 234 volunteers, tens of thousands of dollars in donations and 45 service providers. Between Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 420 veterans — 35 of them homeless — and their families mingled with other veterans, ate meals, picked up clothes, got haircuts and massages, took showers, had their eyes checked and their teeth cleaned, underwent medical screenings, received spiritual counseling, and sought assistance with employment, housing, negotiating Veterans Administration benefits, and other needs. Their dogs were groomed and cared for. In the evenings, bands entertained them. About 55 people, including some kids, stayed overnight on cots, and on Sunday the homeless vets gathered donated gear — sleeping bags, cooking equipment, clothing — and headed back into the fray.
The Journal attended Friday’s event to meet some of our community’s veterans and ask them what they need. Here is what we found.
This article appears in Stand Down.
That’s my hubby on the cover, that is so awesome… The stand down is a great event to attend and find resources in the community to help with various things.., we go every year and love the hair cutting for the kids and myself, and just being around other veterans and families is just sort of comforting. Knowing that we are not alone, others have a spouse or parent with PTSD and they just understand what it’s like.., it’s just an absolutely great event to be able to be a part of….thanks so much to all the volunteers and people that donated things, you all are deeply appreciated . Without all of you this awesome event could not happen and we would have to go all the way to the Bay Area, and that would make it impossible for a huge percentage of the people.., so please know that not just my family is thankful and appreciative of all you do, that all who attend feel the same and many community members also appreciate what you do so from all of us THANK YOU. You are all so very amazing!! 👏👏 😇😇👏👏 🌟