Marblehead Veterans Town Hall Friday

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Congressman and veteran Seth Moulton is hosting a Veterans Day Town Hall event Friday in Marblehead. The forum will be held at Abbot Hall at 11 a.m. All are welcome.

"For veterans, this event is a chance to unburden themselves of painful memories and share their experiences with a public who has been largely spared the horrors of war," Moulton, an Iraq War veteran, said in a statement. "For civilians, it is an opportunity to understand and connect with those who have served in a way that 'Thank you for your service' can never approach."

Moulton first held the event last year; he called it "the single most meaningful thing I've done as a Congressman."

"Veterans of every major conflict since World War II told stories from their own service," Moulton continued. "Brendan, an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, described his year in the treacherous Korengal Valley, and what it was like to lose a friend. And Austin, who served in Korea, urged his fellow veterans to seek help for post-traumatic stress rather than trying to beat it on their own, citing his own night terrors that lasted for years after he returned from combat.

"This is the value of holding a Veterans Day Town Hall, and why I’m working to make this a national initiative for communities across the country."

He said the event was inspired by author Sebastian Junger, who has written about the importance of veterans sharing their combat experiences with the community.

Moulton represents Marblehead and Swampscott, among other North Shore communities.

Photo: Congressman Seth Moulton during a Veterans Day Town Hall on Nov. 11, 2015. (Credit: Office of Seth Moulton)