COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Kanesville Honor Guard provides funeral honors, free PTSD counseling and honor flights for Nebraska and Iowa veterans. The group has served at more than 1,000 veteran funerals over the last decade. This year, theorganization had to cancel its honor flight for veterans to Washington D.C. because it didn't have the funding.
- On Thursday, Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh recognized the all-volunteer-run organization with a proclamation.
- “Oftentimes they’re pretty reluctant to come,” said PTSD counselor, Lyle Burkley. “Trust is a very hot topic for most of them ... They question, ‘Well, who’s going to know I’m talking to somebody?’”
- Burkley is a retired VA mental health counselor. His services are confidential and provided free of charge to veterans and emergency personnel.
- Vietnam Marine Corps Veteran Ed Kerns received counseling from Burkley at the VA: “At first you just thought you could just handle everything, but the longer you wait, the worse that it gets.”
- LEARN MORE: KanesvilleHonorGuard.org
- Donate through Venmo or mail donations. Venmo account: @kanesvilleHG20
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Veterans from Iowa and Nebraska receive PTSD counseling, burial honors and, when there’s funding, honor flights to Washington D.C. from the Kanesville Honor Guard. I’m Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel in Council Bluffs.
I’m here because the mayor is recognizing the veterans’ group with a proclamation. Kanesville leaders hope it will bring attention to their cause.
Mayor Matt Walsh: “Therefore I, honor and commend the Kanesville honor guard of Council Bluffs…"
We recently told you how the Kanesville Honor Guard had to cancel its honor flight to Washington DC for area veterans because there wasn’t enough funding and plane ticket prices have gone up. The honor guard, which is made up of veterans and non-veterans from every generation, also provides other services to veterans including PTSD counseling.
“There’s some that have — still dealing with issues possibly from Vietnam but there’s also some in more recent years as well,” said Lyle Burkley, a counselor who works with Kanesville.
Burkley is a retired VA mental health counselor. His services are confidential and provided free of charge to veterans and emergency personnel.
“Oftentimes they’re pretty reluctant to come,” said Burkley. “Trust is a very hot topic for most of them ... They question, ‘Well, who’s going to know I’m talking to somebody?’”
He meets with veterans in groups and one-on-one. It’s at the Kanesville clubhouse, which avoids the stigma of walking into a mental health clinic. No insurance is needed, either.
Vietnam Marine Corps Veteran Ed Kerns received counseling from Burkley at the VA.
“At first you just thought you could just handle everything, but the longer you wait, the worse that it gets,” he said.
Kerns saw combat during the height of the war in the late ‘60s.
“We were putting bodies in body bags...” Kerns said, describing some of the horrors of war.
He coped by drinking heavily but eventually got sober. It wasn't until 1993 that he was diagnosed with PTSD.
“It was like a big load lifted off me because I knew I wasn’t the only one,” said Kerns.
Now, Ed and his fellow honor guard members, all volunteers, want to help others. Anyone wishing to help OR get help can contact the organization: Info@KanesvilleHonorGuard.org
