MADISON, Wis. – Veterans who struggle with PTSD symptoms are gearing up for one of the most triggering days of the year.

What You Need To Know

  • As many as 29% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans can suffer from PTSD 

  • Fireworks can be a big trigger for PTSD sufferers 

  • Sticking to July 4 for fireworks can help people have a coping plan in place 

  • Other groups can struggle with fireworks too, like people with autism and those affected by gun violence 

David Walgenbach works at Dryhootch in Madison. He spends his days caring for the coffee house, and spending time with other veterans. He was a specialist in the Army.

“I worked with large field artillery type equipment, so shooting a big cannon,” he said. “We had 155 millimeter howitzers, very large rounds, probably about 100 pounds each.”

He began his tour in Afghanistan in 2010. That’s when he was hurt.

“I was caught in one of the explosions from our mortar attack,” Walgenbach said. “Ended up sending me home and working on recovering.”

That recovery was long.

His injuries impacted his balance, memory, and initially gave him pain all over. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

“The worst of it was a fragment that went up underneath my helmet and into my brain,” he said.

Fireworks can sound just like the combat he and so many military members have experienced.

“There’s definitely quite a few people I’ve met who just can’t deal with fireworks because it sounds like gunfire or explosions,” he said.

According to the V.A., as much as 29% of Afghanistan and Iraq veterans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. The numbers are lower for veterans of previous wars, however they did not have the same access to care, and mental health struggles were more stigmatized. 

Jason Boynton was a Marine for 20 years. He’s now the commander of VFW Post 7591 on Cottage Grove Road. Going to fireworks has been a rude awakening for him. He’s not bothered by neighborhood fireworks or small shows, but the commercial productions are triggering for him.

“We sat right where they launch them, and just within like three or four fireworks…” he had to pause as his eyes welled up. “I had to tell my family I couldn’t sit there anymore.”

Walgenbach said noise-canceling headphones can help a lot, but so can communities at the VFW or Dryhootch, where veterans can feel understood.

Of course, veterans aren’t the only ones who can have a tough time with fireworks. People with autism and those impacted by gun violence can struggle with them too.

Veterans Affairs officials have said one of the most helpful things you can do if you plan to set off fireworks is stick to predictable times, like only on July 4. That way, people with sensitivities know when to expect them, and can have coping plans in place.

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