Ponca City offers aid to soilders

There are many groups in Ponca City, but one to help our returning veterans was missing. But Alan Teten, a Vietnam veteran himself took that matter into his own hands and started a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder support group. Teten said he held his first meeting last week and more than double than what he expected showed up.

“We meet at the American Legion at 6, the second and fourth Wednesday of every month and it’s a very lose group, non-committal,” Teten said. “There are a lot veterans, who aren’t ready to express their feelings and stuff, so you don’t have to you can just be involved or not involved, sit back whatever you want to do.”

The next meeting is next Wednesday, July 23. The meetings last between an hour and two hours.

Teten said they want to open this up to the families at times too. They understand some families have no idea what to do when a solider comes home.

“We want to include the families on this once a month,” Teten said. “If there are family members that want to come to the meetings, we’re going to invite them in and we’re going to council with them also.”

This group is open to all veterans and is the only one in the area. The next closet PTSD groups would be in Wichita, Tulsa or Oklahoma City.