For most of human history, trauma was both experienced and processed in groups – family, village, tribe. As a result, humans are amazingly resilient when part of a community, and amazingly fragile when they are not.

In today’s America, service members are often more connected to each other than to the very families and communities they fought for. This is understandable – but extraordinarily unhealthy. Any stone age society knows that if you send warriors off to fight an enemy, you had better make sure to reincorporate them back into the community when they come home.

But how can this be done in a huge, modern society? Simple – one community at a time.

Inspired by the Kiowa Gourd Dance and other traditional ceremonies, Vets Town Halls give veterans of all eras, who served in any capacity, the chance to explain how going to war made them feel. 

My hope is that one day there will be thousands or maybe even tens of thousands of town hall events across the country. Not only will this help veterans find a fulfilling role in our society, but it may return some feeling of unity and common purpose to the nation itself.

—Sebastian Junger