Placer Reset, an extension of the Auburn nonprofit Forgotten Soldier Program, extends a helping hand to first responders in need

Veda says he was "just walking by" the blue building on Lincoln Way several months ago when he saw the sign for the Forgotten Soldier Program. It wasn't the first time Veda walked by. Finally one day, he approached the front door and entered. Donna Arz, Ph.D, founder of the nonprofit, remembers asking Veda, "May I help you?" His reply: "It's taken me a long time to come through that door." Opening that door literally reopened a door to life for Veda, who was suffering from PTSD, injuries sustained in combat and issues with opiates. Veda (the Auburn Journal is using only his first name), a retired Air Force veteran and Travis Air Force Base medic, and Jeremy Duckham, a retired police officer, are two in a growing number of first responders who are reaching out to a new extended branch of the Forgotten Soldier Program just for them – known as Placer Reset. Arz thought of extending the program about six months before the pandemic hit, considering many veterans become a first responder. She recalled one veteran who became an L.A. cop. "This gentleman is having flashbacks because he can't get it out of his system," Arz says. "That's when I said we can help first responders, too. If you have a place to come and it's safe, and you're heard … your relationships are better, your health is better, everything is better. First responders, nobody is really helping (them) after the event, especially the young guys." Just four months after Placer Reset was named, Veda says he's living "a healthy, positive life," going on three years free of opiates. Duckham says he's "doing a lot better than I was. I have a ways to go, but I'm confident I'll get there." Here are their stories: Veda: "Living my life again" Veda calls Boston home. He calls his friendly English yellow Labrador "Boston." Veda has lived in California for about 11 years; he's been in Auburn for about a year and a half. He served almost nine years in the Air Force as a medic, including two deployments to Afghanistan. As a medic, running the ambulances at Travis Air Force Base and working in ER, Veda says he saw victims who were "having their worst moment … every day." Medically retired in 2019 due to PTSD and physical injuries sustained in combat, Veda says he reached a point where he seldom left his house, even to shop for groceries. When he did go to the store, there were times he left a full cart of groceries there because, "I would have an episode." Three years ago, Veda was homeless and divorced. He had a problem with opiates and legal issues. "I wouldn't have thought of going to a movie theater," he says. A fellow veteran in Auburn took him in when Veda says he was "at my lowest point." Fully retired, Veda connected with Placer Reset in June. "Just that name kind of calls out to you," he says. "It got me curious." Veda attends two or three nonprofit programs a week, including retreat programs. There are yoga classes in the Forgotten Soldier garden. He has attended fundraisers in the garden and met people in Auburn who support the program. That has led to what Veda says are "great" opportunities to "work on that path of physical and mental recovery." "The social aspect is huge," he says, noting the programs have helped "for sure." Now, Veda searches for what he wants and where he belongs. He's considering work in the mental health field. He smiles easily and often. "I've really started living my life again in the last year," he says. "I want to find that place where I can give that back and share some hope." Veda grocery shops again, and he's out and about in Auburn "being social." There was a time when he wouldn't have thought about dating; he is now. Veda says he's "close to living a normal life." "Compared to what it was, life is pretty awesome," he says. Veda says the "biggest thing" for him is staying in touch with "my military brothers and sisters." He continues therapy services through VA, and he has Boston. "He's phenomenal," Veda says of his 9-year-old, 80-pound lab. "We even hunt together." A voice for law enforcement It wasn't one event that led to a PTSD diagnosis for Jeremy Duckham. It was several – 12 to 15 incidents that piled up over the course of a 20-year career in law enforcement: on a motorcycle with the Rocklin Police Department and 13 years with Sacramento PD. "A lot of people think of PTSD as a horrific incident and you don't recover. My story is more cumulative," Duckham says. "I have a bunch of tragic events I've dealt with. Most of mine are death-related, where I feel like I didn't do enough to save somebody or in a roundabout way I caused somebody's death or wasn't able to do my job effectively." Depression and anxiety progressed to what he described as "suicidal ideation." "It got to a point where I wasn't really caring about my safety as much anymore," Duckham says. "I was going to work almost hoping something would happen." Training and experience helped him avoid a couple of close calls on his motorcycle and, "I found myself upset I did that." Duckham had a breakdown, reached out for help and began talk therapy on a regular basis. It helped, but it only went so far. He attended a critical incident seminar through the California Law Enforcement Assistance Program and says he "opened up about everything. … I took some huge leaps forward," but again, he felt he hit a plateau. Duckham was organizing a golf tournament for a nonprofit and that deals with PTSD. Arz's name appeared, and he called her. "I said I was looking for help getting PTSD awareness out. She started asking about me: What are you about? I was like, well …," Duckham recalls. Arz informed him the Forgotten Soldier Program just opened Placer Reset for law enforcement. "I did a session with her, and I was blown away, honestly," Duckham says. "She opened up my healing process. Before, I was talking about it, but I was still holding so much negative energy, like a real kind of darkness, just still holding on to a lot of the trauma. I was able to talk about it, and that's great, but I wasn't able to release it. With her sessions, it was one thing at a time. She can release the negative feelings associated with that event. It changes from this traumatic thing I hold onto and struggle with and can't get out of my mind to … she's helped me realize I did the best I could do. I didn't cause this death, I'm not responsible for not saving this person. I did a good job and I don't need to hold onto this pain anymore." Today, Duckham serves on the Forgotten Soldier Program advisory board. He's become a resource who steers first responders in need toward Placer Reset. He provides information on how Placer Reset can help the law enforcement community heal. Duckham is married to a nurse who he describes as "amazing" and "supportive." He also just started working again. Like Veda, Duckham understands the reluctance of first responders to reach out for help. Says Duckham, "It's OK to ask for help, and there's resources out there. I know a lot of people who need help and they're afraid to ask." Duckham says he has an upcoming appointment aimed at his ongoing recovery. "I'm doing a lot better than I was," he says. "I have a ways to go, but I'm confident I'll get there." Next step: Suicide prevention Having served on the board of directors for a veterans group in the Bay Area, Dave Perry was looking for a veterans group with a concentration in suicide prevention when he moved to Meadow Vista. He reached out to Arz and learned she was on the verge of launching Placer Reset. They hit it off. Arz invited Perry to the next board meeting. He's now a board member at-large and heading the suicide prevention push. "It all was just really good timing to come on board and push the board in this direction," Perry says. "It's a new direction for them but a direction where I have so much passion." Perry began working with a grant writer to take the nonprofit to the next level. 100+ Women Who Care Placer County awarded the Forgotten Soldier Program a large grant. A week later, the program received a $5,000 grant from Lyons Realty in Roseville. "All since we kicked off Placer Reset," Perry says. Arz considers Placer Reset a branch on the Forgotten Soldier Program tree, which had the program and structure in place, including retreats with mountain biking, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking. "They can have the camaraderie and do special healing within the groups," says Arz, who foresees taking suicide prevention into area schools to "take off the stigma." Says Arz, "If you know a place to come, and there's no stigma at all, you can change lives." Perry says he's moved when people tell him what the Forgotten Soldier Program has done for veterans, and now, first responders. "Clients tell me they tried other things that didn't help, then they talk to Donna and they say she saved their life," Perry says. "Whatever she does is like the perfect connection to help people with PTSD. You stop them from spiraling down and potential suicide. That's amazing to me."