Every 60 minutes we lose another US War veteran to suicide. Many of our veterans return home broken inside and cannot heal from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). By the time you go to bed tonight, 22 more vets will have taken their own lives today. That’s approximately 8,000 veterans a year committing suicide. For many veterans, it seems like there is no hope….but they’re wrong.
EMU 309, is a Bell UH-1H Huey helicopter fully restored to its 1969-72 Vietnam War combat configuration. EMU 309, so named for its tail number, is owned by the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization EMU, Inc. that is run by a small group of Vietnam Veterans.
The distinctive "whop-whop-whop" sound of UH-1 Huey choppers is seared deeply into the memories of Vietnam Veterans because it was the "sound of hope". Between 1961 and 1975, tens of thousands of U.S. military helicopter pilots, crew chiefs, gunners and medics fought to save American lives in the Vietnam War. Now, a half-century later, we are fighting once again. This time, the enemy is PTSD.
Studies show that interaction with a real Huey helicopter helps veterans heal and we have found that EMU 309 serves as a catalyst to encourage a healing dialogue. Many veterans open up for the first time when they come in contact with our Huey at various events. Some will sit in it and their eyes well-up with tears. Some will tell their stories as they run their hands along the entire aircraft. Most of our volunteers are Vietnam Vets who heard our chopper flying in to or saw it at an event.
Some of the most current cutting-edge therapies in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense include computerized virtual reality reenactments of events that have emotionally wounded the warrior. These reenactments allow the warrior to practice changing the memory outcomes of the traumatic events. For many Vietnam Veterans, flying in a Huey does the same thing. We have repeatedly observed these changes occur even after more than fifty years have passed, and even if only in a small way for the Veteran. However small, and however long it has taken, we think it is worth it. We are proud to be part of that healing.
It costs approximately $2,00 per hour in fuel to fly EMU 309 and we are working on coordinating five therapy flights in 2017.
We are looking for sponsors to help cover the costs for EMU 309 to help America's Veterans heal through the "sound of hope" once again.
