‘Hand Up’ Aims to Help Veterans Combat PTSD

A local U.S. Army veteran is organizing local events through his company to help other veterans combat Post-Traumatic Stress Distorder.

Ed Stoughton, a Ford City native that graduated from Armstrong Central in 1992, organized the ‘Hand Up’ program through his consulting firm, Tier iii, last year. He began raising awareness through T-shirt sales.

“A lot of veterans are proud and nobody wants a hand out, but we can offer a hand up,” Stoughton said.

Stoughton researched that there are nearly two dozen suicides per day due to PTSD.

“They’re not numbers – they’re names; they’re families,” Stoughton said. “One is too many to me. That’s our goal – 22 to zero.”

So far, Stoughton’s social media pages have more than 1,500 followers.

Stoughton served as a Tier III operator and served 15 years in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard. He fought in Iraq in 2004-05 before being discharged as a specialist in September 2012 (Spec-4).

“I’m one of those people that once I recognize a problem, I find a solution,” Stoughton said. “It works in the infantry – you have to be a problem-solver, especially as a team leader, it helps if you have an analytical-style process.”

Stoughton also had to overcome his own battle with the disease, and has quit smoking two years ago and now only drinks occasionally, supplementing both with regular workouts.

He lost about 45 pounds in a year through workouts at Anytime Fitness in Hyde Park.

“I’m not doing this alone – I have a support structure,” Stoughton said.

Tier iii’s first ‘Hand Up’ event “Rolling with the Vets” was held at Falcon Lanes in Ford City with five combat veterans.

Stoughton worked with Ford City VFW Post 4843 commanders for the event, and has since begun work on making ‘Hand Up’ a non-profit event.

“I’m here not to shine a light on them, but to shine a light on something that’s just as much of a disease as cancer,” Stoughton said. “There are a ton of great groups – (and) we’re all trying to get to the same goal – I’m just taking a different route.

“When I started Tier iii, I knew I was going into an area of relatively-unchartered waters.”

Stoughton has been aided by his wife, Faith, and business partner Mike Byron and other military-friendly groups.

“Between the public support pushing me forward and (Byron) and Faith, we wouldn’t be where we are now,” Stoughton said. “I can accept the compliments, but I wouldn’t get where I (am) if it wasn’t for the help of other people.

“I would love to give credit to everybody that’s helped me.”

Stoughton, a full-time Homeland Security student at Community College of Allegheny County, plans to organize an event each month across Western Pennsylvania.

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