A local veterans organization is reaching out to military personnel who may be feeling anxious as tensions with Iran continue.

The South Texas Afghanistan Iraq Veterans Association, known as STAIVA, is a Brownsville-based group run by veterans who understand the stress that comes with international conflict.

Miguel Altamirano, a Marine Corps veteran with the organization, served in Iran from 1976 to 1980. He remembers the American hostage crisis that began in 1979, when Americans were held at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran for 444 days.

"That was quite the crisis at the time," Altamirano said.

Now, as another conflict with Iran unfolds, Altamirano and his fellow veterans want active service members to know they're not alone.

"This is not a sudden occurrence," Altamirano said. "We have a good understanding of the dynamics of this current situation and we're here to help."

STAIVA is offering free one-on-one sessions with mental health experts for military personnel. The group also provides peer support sessions for service members and their families.

"We have active duty service members in our families and close friendships, and so we understand the anxieties that are going on right now because of this," Altamirano said. "We have a chance to voice our concerns and share common triggers and share how we're dealing with healthy coping skills."

Click here to visit STAIVA's website.

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