Afghanistan War Veterans Offered Help as Country Falls Apart

As Afghanistan War veterans watch the foreign country they fought in fall apart, New Hampshire people are stepping up to help them.

Stars and Stripes is a publication read by many military members and veterans. They feature reporting from Afghanistan, Europe and the Far East.

They are reporting that Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed an explosion occurred outside Kabul airport Thursday.

According to Kirby's statements on Twitter, the explosion at Abbey Gate killed a number of people.

U.S. personnel were among the wounded.

Veterans who need help processing the situation can call U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan's office. She offered her office's number during an interview with Seacoast Current on Wednesday.

Hassan, D-NH, said that many veterans are having a difficult time watching events unfold in Afghanistan and they are worried about the fate of their interpreters and others who helped them.

"If you need help please reach out for it. You can always call our office at 603-622-2204 to get referrals to the VA or other points of pure services," Hassan said.

The Veterans Administration has some resources available on their website including their 24/7 crisis line. Call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. 

You can also text, chat confidentially and there is a TTY number available. Click here for more information.

The VA also has a blog about how Afghanistan veterans can learn from the generation of people who served in Vietnam.

Dover community leader Matt Mayberry said on Thursday morning that he hopes to organize an event next week where service members are honored and recognized for their contributions to the fight in Afghanistan.

"I'm talking to community leaders and we are organizing some type of event statewide to celebrate the lives of the men and women in uniform and their families that also serve so that we can be a strong visible show of appreciation for what they've done for the past 20 years," Mayberry said.

Mayberry said he and others are asking everyone to show up outside their city or town hall with flags and thank-you signs on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. so all veterans in their community can feel appreciated as they pass by.

Contact Managing News Editor Kimberley Haas at Kimberley.Haas@townsquaremedia.com.