Cafe Society will be meeting at HumanThreads Center on Wednesday, September 21

Learn more about today's G.I. Coffee House movement, inspired by the Vietnam-era G.I. coffeehouses. Community members will have an opportunity to "ask-a-veteran" of the post-9/11 era about their military experiences over coffee and tamales. We will also have an open discussion about the experiences and invisible wounds of veterans with Brad Thomson of the Civilian-Soldier Alliance; Matt Ulrich, Iraq War veteran, actor and playwright; and members of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

From "The Profound Daily Struggle Of Soldiers With PTSD" by Patrick Waters

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 10 to 18% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans may have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. The sleeplessness, anger, anxiety and sense of isolation that can accompany PTSD pose tremendous challenges for veterans and their families. And an enduring stigma around mental health care still discourages many veterans from seeking help.

Want to find out more?

Veterans use smartphone apps to fight PTSD

Digging into the Operation Recovery Campaign

A new generation of veterans

Why You Won't See Veterans For Peace on the Cover of TIME Magazine

Anti-war coffee shop targeting U.S. military

Questions for Consideration

What kind of challenges are soldiers and veterans facing when they return home? What is Operation recovery? How can we support our troops and understand their experiences? How is the global war on terrorism misconstrued? In which ways can we start to build a more peaceful world that does not include war?