Over 22 military veterans commit suicide in the United States every day, according to a report released by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Combat exposes soldiers to traumatic life-or-death situations, and depression and post-traumatic stress disorder may result. Other soldiers return with brain injuries. All of these ailments have been linked to increased risk of suicide," the department reported.Should a soldier return from the battlefield relatively unscathed, reconnecting with family or finding suitable employment will inevitably add to the pressure of transitioning into civilian life.That's the gap the newly formed Carbon County organization, Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans Inc., hopes to help bridge."They're so used to having a lot of responsibility, and the value of that experience is overlooked. They have to start at the entry level if they can find a job," said Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans board member Shannon Eidem."Employers are looking at the skill sets and it's just not translating into the civilian sector. Before vets get out they need to sit down with their detainer and find out what certifications and equivalents will be accepted by employers," Eidem said.Eidem says part of the problem is the lack of decompression time from soldier to civilian."In the past vets had a three-week ocean crossing trip, a milelong walk to decompress. Now you're in combat then you hop on a plane and come home," Eidem said."Our mission at Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans Inc., is to enhance and/or promote the healing of the physical and emotional well-being of our combat veterans through the calming effects of connecting with nature and the great outdoors," Eidem said. "We are working on building a support system for the vets."Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans was officially granted nonprofit status by the commonwealth early this year and expects the 501(c) 3 classification to follow by the close of spring.Eidem, along with the organization's Executive Director Ryan Bowman, understand the demands on returning troops as both have served in the armed forces."When I came home, the first week out I woke up on a Saturday morning and no one was in the room or in the hallway. I was abruptly alone. When you're with people for so long there's a bond and that's what we hope to bring back to people," said Bowman.Bowman says the isolation is one of the biggest problems of assimilating into everyday life, "They're coming out and they're very lost. They feel they have nowhere to turn," he said. "My struggle was feeling like I was the only one."According to Bowman, "we have recently had two veteran suicides in Carbon, so it's hitting home.""Our Veterans Affairs system cannot handle what we've created with this last war. We don't have the man power or resources," he said. "It's organizations like this that will help fill in where the VA lacks. The government will not be able to help all the vets.""They're getting turned away at the VFW hospitals," said President Doren Perdie. "They are just sending the vets out with drugs and it's not working."As the daughter of a combat veteran, Perdie witnessed firsthand the hardships soldiers face when returning home."Nowadays there isn't a family without a vet in this country," she said. "The families feel alone, too. They go through their own little horrors.""When they return, it's a broken family," Eidem said.The organization is working on fundraisers to cover costs of overnight camping trips as a chance for veterans to come together and share their experiences."We're providing an outlet through outdoor sports," Eidem said."After these trips, they all have someone to talk to. They need that, to feel a bond is still there and re-acclimate to family life," said Perdie.Soldiers are encouraged to invite their families on the outings."That's why families are invited on these camping trips. Now it's a shared experience and you're able to handle it better, families are better able to understand," Perdie said.The group commemorates the suicide hotlines for its efforts but say not enough information is given to the public on how to contact the resources available."People don't find out about them until it's too late," Perdie said."For PTSD or a traumatic brain injury, this maybe the type of therapy vets have been looking for," Bowman said."We're just trying to bring them all together in a positive environment. Some people have to be steered in the right direction. Until then they are just sitting in their own dark world," Perdie said.For more information or to donate to PA Outdoor Vets visit Facebook page, PennsylvaniaOutdoorVets.