Traditional Fourth of July neighborhood celebrations --- like backyard rockets and cherry bombs -- can be problematic for those who fought to keep the country independent. The red-white-and-blue yard signs say it all: “Combat Veteran Lives Here, Please be courteous with fireworks.”
That’s because loud blasts, flashing lights and smoke can be similar to gunfire or explosions and can trigger panic attacks in a veteran with Post Traumatic Stress.
The non-profit group, Military with PTSD, started distributing the free yard signs to vets a few years ago. The group’s annual report states that more than 4,300 free signs were mailed to vets in 2015.
The idea is not to stop fireworks celebrations. Instead the aim is to remind neighbors that a veteran lives nearby and please give them advanced notice so there are no unexpected blasts.
