Sheep Dog Impact Assistance offers veterans hope, clean up storm debris [Video]

ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Natural disasters like the tornadoes that swept Northwest Arkansas on Memorial Day weekend can cause post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans.

Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, a local nonprofit, is there to help those veterans find purpose and strength again while also helping the community clean up from that very disaster.

When military veterans and first responders leave the service, it can take a toll on their mental health. And with the recent tornado in Rogers, it was a traumatic experience for some.

“Just the violence of the storm is everything is breaking and things are getting blown around,” said Jeff Watts, director of continuous service and disaster response for Sheep Dog Impact Assistance.

Springdale counselor explains how the brain responds to traumatic events in relation to recent storms

Post traumatic stress disorder symptoms can be triggered during a natural disaster, causing flashbacks, anxiety, and nightmares according to ptsduk.org.

…