The family left behind: Comments

As soldiers return from war — about 1.7 million over the past decade from the Middle East alone — their access to medical services depends often on the location they call home. For veterans in urban areas, health care centers are often only a few minutes away. In Indian Country, veterans can drive hours just to see a doctor, if they choose to do so.

Staff Sgt. Lonnie Al Watts never sought help for PTSD because he believed it carried a stigma. After his death, his family wonders what might have been if he had. To learn more about them, read our multimedia story, The Family Left Behind.