Veterans’ firearm injuries

Jake

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Jake was first exposed to firearms as a young teenager. When his older brother left his gun unattended, “being curious and young…I wanted to feel it and see what it was like…I was just looking at it and playing around with it. Then I put it back in the shoebox and put it back away.” Jake “always wanted to be an Army man” and enlisted when he was “right out of high school.” During his time in the Reserves and active service, he says “the military teaches you the basics how to protect yourself in times of need and in times of war.”

After his time with the military, at first Jake “didn’t have any more aspirations as to wanting to possess a firearm.” He later opted to own a firearm so that he would be able to protect his family because “I’ve seen things happen. I’ve seen things happen that I didn’t see in the war zone.” For Jake, the best thing about owning a firearm is “knowing that I’m having that reality of safety. Safety is the main, number one reason of owning a firearm.”

When asked about firearm injury prevention, Jake recommends letting “Veterans know that there is help because we’re always looking for help. We may not be able to express it at that time, so let us know that this is there.”

Seeing things in his community that he “didn’t see in the war zone,” has had a big impact on Jake.

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Seeing things in his community that he “didn’t see in the war zone,” has had a big impact on Jake.

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I’ve seen things in the past that--recently where I live now, I think we were the number one murder capital for a couple of years. Maybe now. I’ve seen things that actually hold up to that statement in the communities that I frequent, that I go in and out of, even here. In my home here, I’ve seen things happen. I’ve seen things happen that I didn’t see in the war zone. This is due to firearms. I believe that it’s the law – everybody’s angry with everybody, especially when it comes to authority such as the police. That’s a different story about handguns. It’s so rampant now that I believe it’s because the law is so lax. Even in the youngsters, they take it for granted that they’re just young enough to commit the crime. They have enough time to do it and live through it and all those things.

Having his home broken into led Jake to feel “kind of paranoid.”

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Having his home broken into led Jake to feel “kind of paranoid.”

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The military, in a sort of way, spoils you because it’s so… it’s safety. You have that safety net, and you don’t see these things in the military. I never heard about anything negative when I was in the military. When I got out, it just felt that I had to protect my family because things were happening where I live, more or less. There [was] a break-in in my home and things like that. Even now, it’s something that causes me to be more apt about things, to know that if it’s quiet and peaceful, someone is out there. Something’s out there outside of my home. But I’m still kind of paranoid about it. It makes you paranoid. Like I said, the break-ins, the way that things are happening, and I’ve seen things. It seems like I feel that I’m safer in my home with some type of protection. That’s how I felt about that.

For Jake, carrying a firearm outside the home is not worth it.

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For Jake, carrying a firearm outside the home is not worth it.

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It’s so much, like I said, responsibility. Even if there’s carjackings everywhere. It’s only more stress. I just feel I keep it here at home so if something happens in my home I can better explain that than how I just had to pull my gun out and shoot this guy because he tried to take my car or tried to rob me. They just were after the car. It’s nothing. Take the car and go. I mean lives are better than that. It’s been a while since I’ve done it, especially with so much gun play. Some of it’s difficult to even justify that you were rightfully right about defending yourself.