WASHINGTON — Following is the statement of APA President Antonio E. Puente, PhD, in honor of Veterans Day:
“Veterans Day is an opportunity to honor those individuals who have selflessly served to protect our country. APA works throughout the year to acknowledge that spirit, supporting military personnel and veterans, their families and their communities, and the psychologists who conduct research for and provide direct services to these military-connected populations. APA strongly advocates for funding and support for veterans’ health research and clinical services, including therapies to address post-traumatic stress disorder and depression and more effective suicide prevention efforts in military and veteran populations.
“One of the best ways for psychologists to serve our veterans is to better understand their psychological needs. I encourage our members to visit the VA community provider toolkitopens in new window, which provides free training modules to better understand military culture and how psychologists can help serve military personnel, veterans, families and communities. I also encourage members of the public to honor our military today in whatever way they can, whether by attending a local Veterans Day celebration or just reaching out to a nearby member of the military and expressing gratitude for his or her service.”
More information on APA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of military and veterans can be found on the APA website.
The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes nearly 115,700 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.