Vietnam War Veteran Frank Romeo Shares "The Experience of the American Solider" with SHS Juniors

SKANEATELES, NY (March 19, 2019) – Vietnam War Veteran Frank Romeo is walking from Buffalo, NY to New York City, advocating for PTSD awareness and veterans’ issues.  While on his journey, Romeo stopped to visit Skaneateles High School on Monday afternoon where he talked to SHS Juniors about his experiences and his ground-breaking new curriculum, “The Experience of the American Soldier.”
 
For 30 years Romeo has traveled the country teaching and advocating for PTSD awareness at the educational level. One of the longest living survivors of the war diagnosed with 100% PTSD, Romeo feels his message of pre-education before military service will help build a strong country and help our veterans when they return to deal with today’s social issues.
 
Romeo met with juniors on Monday for more than 30 minutes, discussing his life story while taking them through a small portion of his program known as “The Art of War,” educating students about PTSD and its debilitating impact on individuals and society as a whole.
 
“For every soldier you see on TV coming home to their family with a warm welcome, there are 100 more that cannot decompress.  Those men and women have such a difficult time readjusting to life outside of war,” Romeo told students.  “Because of this, we need to have this conversation that you and I are having here today.  This is like group therapy for me.  This helps me as much as it helps you, this is a win-win situation.  I move forward by taking you with me and by talking with you.  This is what I (and others) need to do to survive in my (our) life.”
 
In 2018, Romeo’s program took a big step forward, introducing a new educational curriculum titled, “The Experience of the American Soldier.”  Within this curriculum, students will not just study a war, a battle, or a policy but they will delve into the psyche and heart of the people who fight for our country. They will study first-hand what it means to be a soldier, a veteran and why they put themselves in harm’s way. They will learn about sacrifice and patriotism.
 
Beginning on March 1, Romeo started his Walk with Frank from Buffalo to New York City, a 750-mile journey that will conclude in the month of June, advocating for “The Experience of the American Soldier” and PTSD awareness.
 
“Every day in the veteran community there are 22 suicides.  That’s not counting what I call the ‘Walking Dead’, those that are drinking and drugging themselves slowly to death, just waiting to die,” said Romeo.  “This is the reality of war.  This is not the movies, this is not a video game.  This is reality and this is what I advocate for, programs like we’re discussing today.”
 
“We were honored to have Frank (Romeo) in today to share his personal story as a veteran, artist and educator with students at Skaneateles High School,” said Skaneateles Central Schools Humanities Coordinator, Francine Grannell.  “It was an honor to learn about his inspirational journey and “The Experience of the American Soldier.”
 
Keep in touch with events and happenings in relation to the Skaneateles Central School District by visiting online at www.skanschools.org or following the district’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Skaneateles.Schools/.