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CRYSTAL LAKE – It can be difficult for returning veterans to get their finances in order after coming home from deployment, but Crystal Lake resident Ed Beckstrom does all he can to help.
Beckstrom, a U.S. Army veteran, works as an education coordinator at Woodstock-based Consumer Credit Counseling of Northern Illinois and provides veterans with the resources needed to get their finances and budgets in order, which can be a difficult part of the transition back into civilian life, he said.
“Some have post-traumatic stress and some just have a different perspective,” he said. “A thing that is most challenging for people to understand is that though some individuals might want to help, they don’t know what language to use.”
Beckstrom served as an officer in Army intelligence from 1964 to 1967 and did not see combat. He didn’t have much trouble transitioning back into civilian life himself, he said. But the military mindset can’t be shaken off easily, so Beckstrom understands his clients, he said.
“It’s that terminology. The history. It’s that way of seeing the world,” he said. “It’s what you ingrain in yourself that stays with you when you’re in the military, and I am able to use that. I am very comfortable working with veterans and really feel strongly about what they do and the sacrifices that they make.”
Beckstrom provides counseling services to veterans and teaches budget and finance workshops. He works with local organizations such as TLS Veterans, the Veterans Assistance Commission of McHenry and Lake County and the Lovell Center in North Chicago.
“A lot of veterans don’t want to feel like they are being helped or aided,” he said. “They may be in need, but you want to approach it in such a way where we sit down and say let’s talk. Here are some ideas I have. … Veterans often have a very strong sense of independence and that can get in the way of them being open to some things people may offer them.”
The financial aspect is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to settling back into civilian life for the men and women of the armed forces, particularly for those who come back and struggle with their mental health, Beckstrom said.
Consumer Credit Counseling is partially funded by the county’s Mental Health Board. It was started with the intent to provide financial services to people who had mental and emotional difficulties, Beckstrom added.
“We look at the budget side of things and work with those organizations out there who deal with these other issues that may be there,” he said. “My focus is helping them work through financial struggles, whether that be a budget, debt management, working through bankruptcy or if there is a housing issue, working on housing counseling or working through a mortgage.”
In 2017, Beckstrom wants to continue his work and constantly work to expand services, he said.
“The goals I have are to maintain the integrity and reliability of the organization and expand as much as I can,” he said. “I am aware there is more that can be done and I have to do that.”