On Friday, 26-year-old Esteban Santiago opened fire inside of a crowded baggage area at a Florida area. The incident is once again putting veteran health issues on the forefront.
"Readjusting to family life when they've had lived such a different high action type of existence for so long can be very difficult," Joan Chipps told 7 Eyewitness News.
Chipps, with the behavioral health clinic at the Buffalo VA medical center, says her staff works exclusively with Veterans at all points in their transition to civilian life.
According to Federal data -- nearly 50% of returning service members who need treatment for mental health conditions seek it.
But Roger Woodwarth, President of the Veterans One Stop Center of Western New York says changing the narrative behind heinous acts like the recent airport attack is crucial in reducing stigma associated with mental health.
"We're like any other aspect of the population we have mental health challenges that are not more prevalent than in the general population."
