After his return from Vietnam War, Henry Caparco, an active Marine from 1963 to 1967, said he avoided, almost boycotted, government services for nearly 50 years.

Now, Carparco says more veterans need to know about the services available to them, especially the Vet Center, and boasted about the organization at their Open House Resource Fair on Thursday.

“When we came home we didn’t have the same welcome most other troops do,” he said. “We felt unwelcome.”

Finally in 2013 he reached out to the VA Hospital and heard about the Vet Center at 2038 Warwick Ave.

“The Vet Center saved my life,” Caparco said.

On his first day the center got the veteran painting, a hobby he now says he wouldn’t give up for the world, but more importantly, he spoke about his experiences in the service for the first time.

“I had never talked about it with anyone,” Carpaco said. “At the center, though, I just felt safe and everyone here listens to you.”

He came to find that he wasn’t alone in struggling with stress and anger after his time in the service.

Carpaco said the training and experiences in the service don’t just “go away” when you come home but stick with you for the rest of your life.

Last Thursday, the Vet Center hosted their annual Open House where current and possible clients and their families could peruse not only the Vet Center’s programs and services but also those of other local veteran focused community groups. Rochelle Fortin, team leader for the Vet Center, said services include, vocational, mental, educational, and housing services.

The Center provides several forms of counseling for various concerns from family to substance abuse and trauma with seven onsite clinicians. Annually, the center sees a caseload of around 400, but also has daily walk-ins that have a few questions or are in need of referrals.

“Even if a veteran isn’t eligible for our services, we can usually point them in the right direction,” Fortin said. “Our job is to identify needs and barriers because each veteran is unique and will require different services.”

The open house is held in hopes that veterans become aware of the sources available to them. Fortin said that after last year’s open house there was an influx of customers. She hopes the same will be true this year.

Heather Oberg, a representative from the VA, said the Vet Center acts as the “first step” for veterans and the open house provides veterans to see the center on their own terms rather than through necessity.

“Nine times out of 10 a veteran will sign up after seeing what the center does,” Oberg said. “Everyone at the center are our boots on the ground. They give veterans a chance to express themselves in a non-hospital and homey setting.”

The center can also see the immediate families of deployed soldiers and active duty soldiers.

“After four or five tours some people just need to talk about it in a protected setting,” Fortin said. “We are just a whole lot of folks that want to help our local and deployed vets.”

For more information on the Vet Center and their services visit their website at www.vetcenter.va.gov or call at 739-0167.