{"id":7181,"date":"2026-01-23T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7181"},"modified":"2026-01-23T15:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T15:30:00","slug":"army-veteran-advocates-for-va-services-after-difficult-battle-with-ptsd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7181","title":{"rendered":"Army Veteran advocates for VA services after difficult battle with PTSD"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-01-23T15:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m starting to feel human again\u2019<\/h2>\n

Kyle Blake was washing dishes at his Prescott, Ariz., home one quiet morning in October 2024 when sharp yelping shattered the calm. He froze, then turned and sprinted toward the sound.<\/p>\n

In the living room, it was clear his two dogs had clashed. His lab-ridgeback mix was hunched over a food bowl, growling low. His new black labrador puppy lay on the hardwood floor, screaming. Blood was everywhere.<\/p>\n

Blake crouched down and gently lifted the puppy\u2019s small, quivering body into his arms. Warm red streaks smeared across his hands.<\/p>\n

Then the room vanished.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/a>
Army Veteran Kyle Blake in Afghanistan in 2010 during his deployment as a sniper. (Courtesy\/Kyle Blake)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The familiar walls of his living room gave way to desert heat and blinding light. He could hear distant shouting, a radio squawking, the echo of gunfire. He wasn\u2019t home anymore\u2014he was back on mission under a sun that pressed hard against his helmet, the air thick with dust and fear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in theater,\u201d he said. \u201cI just stood there bawling my eyes out. I was reliving something I didn\u2019t want to relive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The now 38-year-old Army Veteran deployed twice in his 10-year military career, once to Iraq as a light infantryman, and then later to Afghanistan as a sniper.<\/p>\n

When he returned to the civilian world, his life was \u201cfractured.\u201d For years, he fought against intrusive memories and numbed himself with alcohol.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was just a lot of anger,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n

His wife, Lorri, who he met after his service, eventually became something like a caretaker to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt got to the point where I couldn\u2019t go anywhere without her,\u201d Blake said.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t want to be a burden on Lorri, so he often thought she would be better off without him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not saying he would ever act on it, but there were a lot of suicidal thoughts,\u201d Lorri said. \u201cI just had to keep talking him off that ledge. Letting him know he is loved; he is supported; he does have people here who will not let him go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blake couldn\u2019t find a positive path forward on his own, so Lorri took the reins. She helped him get a service dog and encouraged him to seek more serious medical attention to address his issues. When he couldn\u2019t find the right combination of effective treatments, she pushed him to be open minded and keep trying other options.<\/p>\n

Their journey eventually led Blake to Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System <\/a>(NAVAHCS) in late 2023. He was skeptical at first, but he knew he had to do something different.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was at a catalyst,\u201d he said. \u201cEither I find the courage to seek help from VA, or I lose my wife and family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facing his fears, getting answers<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>
Army Veteran Kyle Blake and Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System PTSD program manager Dr. Jennifer Sigler at the 2025 Veteran\u2019s Day Parade in Prescott, Arizona. (Kirk Wright, NAVAHCS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Though Blake was convinced no one would truly understand his demons, he forced himself to try group therapy and quickly realized it was a needed piece to his puzzle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTo my surprise, during that session, I saw common ground with others,\u201d he explained. \u201cI felt a sense of happiness; hopefulness; and finally, I was on a mission for peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through continued group sessions, he began developing trust in Dr. Jennifer Sigler, NAVAHCS\u2019s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) program manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we really try to do is collaborate with the Veteran,\u201d she said. \u201cMeet them where they\u2019re at to see what type of treatment will be most helpful for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan. For Blake, Dr. Sigler suggested he try a form of cognitive behavioral therapy called prolonged exposure, which helps people slowly confront memories, emotions and circumstances connected to their trauma.<\/p>\n

\u201cProlonged exposure really works for a lot of Veterans,\u201d Dr. Sigler said. \u201cIt\u2019s difficult, but as long as they know that going into it, then they can usually get through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

A whole-health approach has worked best for Blake, including how his physical trauma is connected to his mental. For instance, his Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) at NAVAHCS identified his eyes as the cause of headaches and disorientation that he was frequently experiencing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trauma I had from a blast caused my eyes to revert back to being a 6-year-old\u2019s eyes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He now goes to group therapy, prolonged exposure, physical therapy and eye trauma therapy every single week.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been amazing,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel so much better than I did a year ago.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finding new purpose<\/h2>\n

As Blake\u2019s physical and mental health noticeably improved, so has his personal life.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s now able to be in public for extended periods of time and not rely on his wife to always be there to comfort him.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m starting to feel human again,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n

What was once an aimless hobby of playing video games has turned into a full-time occupation with meaning behind it. Using multiple online streaming channels, he now hosts video game events for his Veteran peers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a community full of Veterans that I\u2019ll do charities, fundraisers or gatherings with. Especially for younger Veterans, gaming gets us out of our heads and makes it easier to open up and be there for each other,\u201d he said, noting that he now shares his PTSD journey with family, friends and anyone who needs to hear it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith hard work, determination, a few hiccups and giving yourself a little grace, you can be successful,\u201d he recently told a crowd of peers and community members during a PTSD awareness event. \u201cFor me, that fracture I mentioned earlier, it began to heal. Yours can too!\u201d<\/p>\n

Every Veteran is different, and many may not show any signs of intent to harm themselves. But some actions and behaviors can be a sign that they need help. Learn to recognize the signs of crisis so you can support a Veteran going through a difficult time. Contact your local VA medical center\u2019s Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator or call the Veterans Crisis Line<\/a> 24\/7 by dialing 988 and then pressing 1.<\/p>\n

\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Army Veteran Kyle Blake found healing from PTSD and addiction with support from his wife and Northern Arizona VA therapists. He now advocates for fellow Veterans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":318,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-health-care","category-mental-health-recovery"],"yoast_head":"\nArmy Veteran advocates for VA services after difficult battle with PTSD - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Army Veteran Kyle Blake found healing from PTSD and addiction with support from his wife and Northern Arizona VA therapists. 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