Peer Support

WASHINGTON — Mental health professionals in the past have touted the benefits of veterans meeting with peers for counseling sessions to discuss trauma and prevent suicide.

A YMCA-hemled program found that partnering at-risk youth with former service members lowered rates of violence while boosting self esteem.

“How many people have you killed?”

Former Marine Julio Cortes looked into the face of the curious teen interrogating him.

“Next question,” Cortes replied.

As a teenager growing up in Wheeling, West Virginia, Justin Miller wanted nothing more than to get out and join the armed forces. He tried a couple times; after the planes struck the World Trade Center on September 11, he met with a recruiter but was turned away after meeting with some personal objections from the recruiter. At that point in his life, he’d already given up his passion for baseball and turned to drugs and alcohol, following in the footsteps of his father, who was himself an addict.

Chris Diaz, Ryan Peters and a handful of veteran friends were at Fogo de Chao enjoying a 50 percent discount last Veterans Day when the casual lunch inevitably turned serious.

As Peters said, they’re all “alpha personalities” and were sharing details of their accomplishments at work and in graduate school. At some point, Peters recalled, the idea clicked: “Why don’t we do that together?”