Veteran's Inc. Helps Soldiers After 9/11

Ross Janson was asleep when the first plane hit the World Trade Center on .

He was in the U.S. Navy deployed on Virginia Beach when his roommate woke him up saying, "Dude, come see this."

Janson, like all of America, was glued to the television wondering what happened. "Was this a joke?" A little time passed, and he and his roommates knew it was real.

"We tried to get in touch with duty officer and it took awhile because the lines were down," he said. "As soon as he got on the line, he said get in there as soon as you can."

What is usually a 10-minute drive, took two hours because the base had been locked down.

"Security had to check every person and every car," Janson said. "As soon as we got there, we saw the jets with missles in place in case more planes were coming. We stook watch with guns and were told we could use deadly force if anyone gave us any trouble."

Janson, now 31 and working through the G.I. Progam at Veteran's Inc., said his whole perspective changed. "I grew up in a world secure in the idea that this doesn't happen," he said. "By the end of the day, we were on the U.S. George Washington and we were heading to New York City."

For the next week, he and his crew spent in the aircraft carrier in the New York Harbor, circling in case anymore attacks happened.

"I was right in the eye of it," he said. "After a week, things calmed down a little, but security had to be high on the base."

Janson, who's family grew up in Shrewsbury, was deployed in June of 2002 to the Persian Gulf. In the nine years he was in the Navy, he was deployed twice for over a year.

"I retired as a Second Class Petty Officer," he said. "I went out on medical leave because I fixed jet engines."

After he returned home, he went back to live with his parents who now live in Warwick, R.I. "My uncle had heard about Veteran's Inc. and their program, and now I have a plan for the future."

Janson came to Veteran's Inc. a year ago and was able to get the proper medical care for his medical issues in a secure environment.

In October, he will be attending the Universal Technical Institute and will learn to become a diesel mechanic. "I had chemical exposure to the jets and their fluids and solvents," he said. "So, when I came here, it was a secure environment, has transitional housing and I've been working with a case manager to come up with my plan."

One of the projects Janson was able to be a part of was building and creating a vegetable garden on the property. "My family had gardens, but I never had one," he said. "And we had to dig it up, plant the vegetables from seed and take care of it. We had lots of squash and tomatoes - it was great."

"These men who leave the military are taught to be so stoic and strong," said Eveyln Absher, a case manager at Veteran's Inc. "They are taught that they can take care of everything themselves, but when they come home there is usually a lot of stress with their relationships and they are back to square one, but they are 30."

Absher said that Veteran's Inc. and programs like theirs, address the goals the soldiers have, whether mental or a health issue and help them work towards healthier activities.

"One of our big programs is a smoking cessation program because so many of these soldiers start smoking in the military," she said. "This is a social and relaxing atmosphere in a beaucolic environment -- we do outings, have art programs and we guest lecturers come in to talk to them about their expertise."

Absher said the program is always looking for donations and volunteers to come and share their knowledge with the veterans.

"We've just started an art therapy program and we have the veterans work with watercolors," she said. "We also give them seven different kinds of art supplies and then they have to use them to make an art project -- we're trying to teach them to be in the moment and enjoy the process of art, which can help them with their stress."

Absher said American Express or Visa gift cards are great, so they can purchase art supplies or whatever is needed at the center. Other items like clothing, used furniture, and used household items can be donated to the main Veteran's Inc. office in Worcester.

For more information about Veteran's Inc. and how to get involved, call 508-791-1213.