Neighborhood Opposed To Recuperation House For Marines
GUERNEVILLE, Calif. — Merry Lane, a cul-de-sac shaded by redwoods in Sonoma County wine country, would seem a pleasant place to recover from the psychic wounds of war. Nadia McCaffrey’s dream is to set up a group home there for veterans plagued by post-traumatic stress disorder.
But she is running into stiff resistance from the neighbors. They not only object to the brand-new structure itself, which looks like a four-story apartment house wedged amid their cabins, they are also worried that deranged veterans will move in.
At a community meeting in December, “one person was concerned that even firecrackers would set these people off,” said Andrew Eckers, 54, who lives across the street.
McCaffrey, whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004, said she has tried to reassure the neighbors, but “they are afraid of it because they don’t want to understand it.”
Projects similar to McCaffrey’s have cropped up in other communities across the country, with some also raising concerns from neighbors, in part because of the many news accounts of traumatized veterans committing suicide or murder.
“We’re all, frankly, failing in properly educating society about what PTSD is and what its effects are,” said Jon Soltz, an Iraq war veteran and chairman of VoteVets.org, a veterans advocacy group.
McCaffrey wants to set up at least three group homes around the country where vets with PTSD could live temporarily, and virtually for free, while they study at a college or work at a farm. Donations are paying for the projects, she said.
In Guerneville, a community of about 2,500 where the Russian River draws tourists in the summer, the light green building nestled into a carved-out hillside stands empty.
The county issued a stop-work order because the project exceeded the scope of the plans that were filed, said Shems Peterson, Sonoma County supervising building inspector. Among other things, the project had unauthorized plumbing. Also, a wall meant to divert landslides was deemed insufficient.
Neighbors have raised complaints about the cutting down of several redwoods to make way for the home, the lack of parking and the size of the building, which would house a half-dozen veterans.
“They are inappropriate buildings for the neighborhood. They’re not single-family residences,” said Mark Mondragon, 41. “This could have been Grandmothers for Harmonious Peace, and it wouldn’t have made a difference.”
Jan De Wald, who lives a couple houses down Merry Lane, said too many questions remain unanswered about the project, including who sits on the board, who is the president and what is the staffing.
Most residents said worries about unhinged veterans are not driving the opposition. Eckers emphasized that his primary concern is that the project would open the door to more apartment buildings. But he also raised questions about the screening and supervision of the veterans.
“Generally PTSD guys are normal people,” Eckers said. But he added: “Some are shell-shocked, and they need to be in an institution.”
McCaffrey said screening would be done by veterans and a psychiatrist, and supervision would come from volunteers from a nearby veterans clinic.
“We will not accept anyone who’s not completely functional,” she said.
Rogelio Martinez, 26, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army Airborne Ranger, said he was diagnosed with PTSD and sought counseling at the urging of his older brother, a military officer. But he said he would have benefited from the type of group housing that McCaffrey is proposing.
“If it wasn’t for my brother, I might be one of those homeless vets on the street,” Martinez said in a telephone interview from San Antonio. “A place like that would be ideal for a person like me or a person in my shoes who didn’t have someone to lean on, like an older brother, to get help.”
(AP)
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
Some peoples ignorance pisses me off, but giving them the benefit of the doubt because they’ve probably been exposed only to the horror stories…
I think a good resolution would be for the neighbors to be invited over to the house for a barbecue where they could receive some free classes on the subject and meet with guys that have gone through this particular struggle and come through it…
March 24th, 2008 at 1:39 amThere’s this woman in Niagara Falls, NY that ran into similar problems back in the middle ’80s. She managed to in spite of those opposed to set up her place and called it COPIN House. Care Of People In Need. She had twenty years as a psychiatric nurse in the VA system already under her belt when she set the place up. She realized that the VA could give you all the information they have about PTSD but a place that specializes in after treatment is essential. Most need six to 12 months with an experienced staff to help with the transition. She was on time with this thinking, the VA was behind. They eventually caught on. Her name is Sharon McGrath, everyone in Niagara Falls knows Sharon, also she’s well known in VA circles. Over the years they’ve gotten more into a community based operation, but Sharon is alive and well. I just called to see if the old place is still there, it is. Anyone in the northeast US that might be interested could call 716.283.5622, ask for Dennis Finitz. I think he’s been there for at least 15 years.
March 24th, 2008 at 3:13 amPeople are so ungrateful
I would would welcome that kind of place near me anytime.
March 24th, 2008 at 3:15 amTo the Guerniville City Council, Check out our last Marines MC Run to Berkeley 3/ 22 on You Tube 500 plus bikes and not a penny spent in Berkeley, if thats what you clowns want we would be more then happy to visit and boycott. Now get off Nadias case and approve her project, and Nadia contact me so we can see about fixing that retaining wall.
March 24th, 2008 at 5:28 amI dont think its all about ignorance. opposition to the war anyone?
They actually think these Marines with PTSD are going to go on a killing spree or something? thats sad to be that ignorant towards such a ‘common’ illness. common meaning people have been going through it forever. It can be caused by car wrecks all the way to natural disasters, to obviously war. Give these Marines a place to recover
March 24th, 2008 at 5:57 amChange one, I mentioned that if you call ask for a Dennis Finitz. The person that answered the phone didn’t really know what was going on in the office. I called a couple of hours later and found that Dennis hasn’t been able to work for the past couple of years. Anyway, Sharon is there more often, because she gave up her job at the Niagara Falls Memorial Hospital. Yes, she was a full time nurse there and also ran COPIN House. She’s in her 70s, when is she ever going to slow down? Her mother’s alive and in her 90s.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:10 amWho is that Eckers puke to be stating that some vets should be institutionalised? Where the hell does his qualifications come from, if he has any. I think asswipes like that should either be institutionalised, or shipped to Venezuela, since most pukes like that are socialists to begin with. Let him see what his utopia is really like, maybe then he won’t need surgery to correct his cranial rectal inversion problem.
Last time I heard of an overall study, non-veterans are more likely to commit murder ans suicide amongt the general populace, so what is needed is to ship all of the folks in this area to a lock down facility and placed on suicide watch, so they are not such a danger to their world view…
March 24th, 2008 at 6:33 am“deranged vets might move in”?
PTSD doesn’t make you “deranged”…it makes you jumpy and depressed, but it doesn’t make you deranged. A place like that sounds like it would be a nice, quiet place to recover.
Idiots and ignoramuses who are obviously removed from their own reality.
“We need something like that, but not in my backyard” mentality at it’s finest…
March 24th, 2008 at 7:16 amHey, I’ll donate my back acre if they need a quiet place to recover and the people here would turn out by the hundreds to welcome them.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:16 amGuernville is the homo capitol of the northern s.f. bay area here. This doesn’t suprise me at all. The place is infested with cowards and traitors who couldn’t care less about veterans. They probably want the building to be a giant bathhouse.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:18 amIt’s too bad because it is a really nice area along the river and would be a great place for our brothers to recover, aside from all the degenerate queers and freaks who overran it years ago. Such a shame. God bless this Gold Star Mother
“At a community meeting in December, “one person was concerned that even firecrackers would set these people off,” said Andrew Eckers, 54, who lives across the street.”
Oh wait, they allow firecrackers in CA? Didn’t think so, sounds like they have watched too many movies where that shit sets people off.
The best idea to get these projects rolling is build them in the midwest, people here will do antyhing for a vet and wn’t bitch about helping them. They could come here and heal and be treated like heroes instead of a problem like they are treated in the People’s Republic of California.
I hate CA so much, I wish they would just leave the union, I am sorry for any sane person that has to live there.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:39 amI searched the net a little, looking for an address to contribute to Nadias cause. I’m finding out that she has some very noble efforts for cancer patients as well. Her organization “Angelstaff” was formed over ten years ago and has provided care for dying cancer patients.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:39 amBut she is also a fellow traveler of C Sheehan and therefore could become another MSM political football should things start relapse in Iraq. I don’t fault her for her views, just want to be careful that any intended help actually arrives at the door marked for vets with ptsd. Again, if things relapse in Iraq, the MSM will likely use her cause in the above article to their favor to again bash the president and demean US troops.
Find out more, google Nadia McCaffrey. Yes she was born in France, talks about near death exp., she claims her son was disollusioned near the time of his death. But also she went with Global Exchange in Dec. 2004 to deliver $600,000 worth of humanitarian aid and medicines to “victims of American military action in Fallujah.”-LA Times Jan. 30, 2005.
Roger that, rightangle. If that’s the case, then fuck her too.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:03 amI like this ladies cause, and searched the net for an address to contribute to her. I can only applaud her for what she “appears” to be doing in the above article. However, according to wiki and the LA times, she’s also a fellow traveler of C Sheehan, Democracy Now, and Global Exchange. I don’t fault her for all her views, nor do I accept them. I want to be certain any contribution made to vets with ptsd actually goes to that cause. given her nursing background, I believe it would. My worry though is that should things relapse in Iraq, Nadia could become a new MSM political football that they would use to bash the president and belittle our troops.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:06 amGoogle Nadia McCaffrey, find out that she was born in France, had a near death exp. at ten, claims her son was disolussioned in Iraq. But also according to the LA Times she went to Jordan with Global Exchange in an effort to distribute $600,000 in humanitarian aid to “victims of American military action in Fallujah.”- LA Times, Jan. 30, 2005.
Damn I thought my first post got dumped, looks like this will be the 3rd. Sorry.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:07 amWhat really pisses me off about this article is that they interviewed Jon Soltz.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:33 amIs it not ironic tha Gayville only tolerates “gays,lesbians bisexuals, and transgender people”. Heroes and wounded warriors who fought for their right to perversity are shunned by them? Scumbags all.
lthough Guerneville has a substantial family orientation as a travel destination, it is also a destination for gay travelers. There are a few gay resorts and bars. There are also two larger resorts and a number of smaller resorts that cater primarily to a straight clientele. Gay and straight couples vacation here, often in mixed groups themselves, and gays with families find this a great destination. The beauty of Guerneville is that gay and straight are not distinctions that matter much to anyone here. What does matter is that loud, raucous, partying groups of any kind are much disliked and the natives are quick to call the sheriff if their tranquility is disturbed. Quiet guests who are looking for a peaceful, beautiful destination in tune with nature are welcome.
March 24th, 2008 at 4:06 pmThe hell with CA and Gayville. Bring that PTSD center to my neck of the woods. I live near some gorgeous farm country.
There’s plenty of property and space for them.
And if wht’s-her-face is a member of the C.Shhehan wing of society, I wouldn’t give her the time of day. She’d just end up using the troops as propaganda fodder for some anti-war hit piece anyways.
March 24th, 2008 at 5:42 pmSacrifice for our country
Bleed for our country
But if you make it back alive dont expect a place to recover from the trauma you suffered to keep us safe.
You don’t have to support the war to support the troops shitheads.
March 24th, 2008 at 5:53 pm“The county issued a stop-work order because the project exceeded the scope of the plans that were filed, said Shems Peterson, Sonoma County supervising building inspector. Among other things, the project had unauthorized plumbing. Also, a wall meant to divert landslides was deemed insufficient.”
I live in California and know the HUGE effort required to build anything here. All blue prints, designs, landscape design, plumbing, etc. would have to be approved by the County Planning Dept. before any permits were issued and before any building occurs AND all neighbors would have been invited to “express their concerns” in writing or in a public forum if the project was deemed controversial, before issuance of any permits. So something else is causing the County to cave and use ridiculous reasons to justify themselves. Political pressure me thinks.
Also, what RightAngle is saying about Nadia being associated with Global Exchange, then everyone needs to know that is Medea Benjamin’s (Code Pink) and Leslie Cagan’s (United For Peace & Justice)little subversive organization. They personally delivered $$$ to the jihadis in Iraq. Also these two bitches are responsible for the recruiting demonstrations (Media on the west coast, Cagan on the east coast). Something is not measuring up with this story.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:06 pmI need to correct myself. Leslie Cagan is not a co-founder of Global Exchange, but GE is a member of Cagan’s United for Peace & Justice. Damn, I can’t keep all these subversive NGOs straight. It’s such a tangled web they weave!
March 24th, 2008 at 6:33 pm