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Military personnel and their families will get a chance next week to discuss their needs and challenges as they return from service in Afghanistan, Iraq or other outposts.

Del. Karen Montgomery (D-Dist. 14) of Brookeville and Olney resident Army Capt. Jane McCarthy want to help local men and women with the issues they face when they get back home.

They will hold a "listening session" at 6 p.m. July 15 at Uncle Dave's American Bistro, 5500 Olney-Laytonsville Road to hear about their challenges.

"I've been getting e-mails and letters from veterans in the area who say they need help returning back into society," Montgomery said. "These are often folks that are in the National Guard and didn't sign up to go."

She joined forces with McCarthy, who served as a nurse in Vietnam and recalls the difficulty in getting the help she needed upon her return home.

"Jane's a vet and a nurse and she understands what these people are going through," Montgomery said. "She will talk about her experiences and how it was a real problem getting the help she needed."

McCarthy could not be reached for comment by Gazette press time Tuesday.

Montgomery and McCarthy have visited with officials at Montgomery General Hospital (MGH), as well as area military institutions, to see what help is already available and what is needed.

"We've found that despite their best intentions, the military isn't always offering the help that these men and women need," she said. "There is often a long wait and these people would rather stay in the community rather than go to a military institution anyway."

Montgomery feels the community owes it to veterans to help.

"I was very upset that the Vietnam vets were treated so badly and feel that we are morally obligated to help these men and women," she said. "A lot of people aren't comfortable talking about their mental health, but this is something our community needs, and people just aren't talking enough about it."