The Veterans Center in DuBois provides counseling to about 30,000 veterans annually in 12 counties, including Clarion and Jefferson.

“We operate access points in various places. Some of those veterans we may see once a week and others maybe once a month. It just depends on where they are at in their therapy,” said David Grey, Veterans Outreach Program specialist.

“We provide counseling for war zone veterans and their families, from World War II vets up to the veterans of the global war on terrorism. We deliver that therapy in a couple of different ways – individual counseling, group counseling, marital counseling, grief counseling for active duty and sexual abuse counseling.”

The counselors are also treating veterans for Military Sexual Trauma (MST), which refers to sexual assault or sexual harassment that occurred while the veteran was in the military.

MST includes any sexual activity in which someone is involved against his or her will and who could have been pressured into sexual activity. MST also could include threats of negative consequences for refusing to be sexually cooperative, according to the VA.

MST, the VA says, may also cover implied faster promotion or better treatment in exchange for sex.

The VA says other experiences that fall into the category of MST include unwanted sexual touching or grabbing; threatening, offensive remarks about a person’s body or sexual activities; and unwelcome sexual advances.

MST can affect a person’s mental and physical health years after the event, the VA says.

Grey said some of the difficulties survivors could encounter include trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating and memory, problems with alcohol and drugs, difficulties with relationships, physical health problems and difficulty with things that remind them of the sexual trauma.

The Veterans Administration provides free, confidential counseling and treatment to male and female veterans for mental and physical health conditions related to MST.

Anyone in need of help is urged to call the DuBois Veterans Center at 814-372-2095.