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Pike County Veterans Affairs Randy Ross said Keith Ealey’s story is not unlike that of many Veterans who return from wartime service and suffer from a multitude of health issues due to exposure, such as Agent Orange in Vietnam or Burn Pits in the War on global terrorism.

“Most suffer emotionally from scars that are not visible such as PTSD; flashbacks from the elements and trauma of war,” Ross said. “Many have seen their buddies killed in action or others have been affected physically. Most are depressed and suffer from anxiety, others have trouble forming close relationships.

Ross said, the families of these veterans often find it hard to know how to help their loved one who is fighting a personal war.

“The veterans who suffer from those issues and return home are not the same as the person they were when they went to war,” Ross said. “The marker at Veterans Memorial Park is to honor those who lost their lives in their own private wars here at home.”