Blue Star Moms hold educational event for veterans

A "Navy Mom" pin fastened to her left lapel, Patricia Harper described one version of a post-deployment homecoming. 

“So many of our military are given a plane ticket, and show up at an airport, with a duffle bag, and nobody to welcome them, no place to sleep that night, with maybe a couple of hundred bucks in their pocket,” said Harper, a member of the veteran support organization Blue Star Moms. “Meanwhile, this person just served possibly four years in active duty.”

The Suffolk County chapter of the Long Island Blue Star Moms, NY6, held its first Veterans Conference Saturday at Farmingdale State College with the goal of encouraging collaboration among organizations that can provide resources for veterans returning to civilian life. Speakers included Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine and Dr. Harold Kudler, who addressed several dozen attendees. 

Among invitees were representatives of the Suffolk County Police Department, Helmets to Hardhats and the veterans division of the Suffolk County Department of Labor.

“There’s so many resources out there, but the communication between the resources isn’t happening,” Harper said. “That was the reason for this conference, and also to be the stepping stone to us putting together a transition program for civilian life — the safety net, so once the military releases them, there’s something else to catch them.”

Harper said a long-term goal would be to establish an online program with some in-person assistance to allow for early intervention.

“We’ve found that the transitioning is the most difficult part,” said Chapter NY6 president Rosemarie Kluepfel, whose daughter is serving in the military. “When they come back, if we don’t catch them quick enough, they become isolated.”

Veteran John Damato rode in from Levittown on a scarlet-colored Can-Am motorcycle marked by a tiny American flag on its tail. Damato, 61, served in Iraq in 2004 with the military police.

“Like they were saying inside, you know, you leave a family, you’re gone for 18 months, it’s like a whole new life again,” said Damato, who was handing out fliers for two Memorial Day ceremonies to be held on May 26. “But I adjusted pretty well with it.”

When he returned from Iraq, Damato resumed his previous job working for Nassau County. Though his job had been held for him, Damato is keenly aware of the importance of getting involved with veterans organizations that offer guidance during transitional times.

“The veterans are the only ones that know what’s really out there, besides the Blue Star Mothers,” Damato said. “The veterans need to get involved with organizations like the VFW, AMVETS, American Legions, to guide them through what they need to do.”

Student veteran Bryan Reissig, 29, who served in the Marine Corps and is now studying civil engineering at Farmingdale State College, urges veterans to use electronics as a resource.

“Even if you feel alone,” he said, “go online.”

Many of the resources available on paper at today’s conference, he said, are also available on the internet.

“Part of the problem is, we don’t know all the resources,” Kluepfel said. “If I don’t know, and I’ve been a veteran advocate for over 10 years, and I’m still learning every single day of another resource, how are they to know?”

Romaine, who spoke during the conference, said technical training, housing, job placement and mental and physical health treatment are of critical concern.

“It’s important that we remember those who served,” Romaine told Newsday. “These are people that we trusted with the defense of our country, that learned all types of skills in the defense of our country.”

Meanwhile, the knowledge gap between veterans and civilians makes itself especially apparent to Damato on days like Memorial Day, when passersby notice his “veteran” apparel and wish him a “Happy Memorial Day.”

“A lot of people think Memorial Day’s a celebration,” Damato said. “They don’t realize, Veterans Day is for the ones that are living, and Memorial Days are the ones that made the ultimate sacrifice.”

By Arielle Dollinger

arielle.dollinger@newsday.com@aridollinger

Arielle Dollinger joined Newsday as a staff reporter in 2022. Previously, she covered local and national news as a freelancer for The New York Times, Newsday and other outlets.