The article about medic Joseph Dwyer ("Public hero, private hell," July 21) is excellent and does show some of the anguish our veterans go through upon returning home. As soldiers, they do not need to tough it out. They are only human and need to understand that they can get the help they need without this affecting their future employment.

As a mother of a soldier, I understand a little of what Dwyer's friends and family went through. I thank God every day that my soldier came home alive. All soldiers come home with some emotional baggage. Some are able to handle this without help and some are not. It is up to all of us to make sure these men and women get the help they need. They should be able to go to any counselor who can take them. Minnesota is a leader in helping change and make things better for our vets. We all owe a lot of gratitude to the Vietnam vets for helping make this happen.

If you know a soldier who is having problems coping, please strongly urge him or her to get help. This is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. It is actually a sign of strength because you are able to realize that you do need help. Also, family and friends need to speak up and be heard. We have already lost too many to post-traumatic stress disorder.

KAT BENJAMIN, CHASKA