EL PASO, Texas -- Friday night was a big night for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9173.

"We've got this great program for our veterans. We've got eight World War II veterans that are coming in," said VFW Post 9173 Commander Leo Barraza.

But as they celebrated the service of veterans, their minds and hearts fell on the soldiers still in battle in AAfghanistan.

"It's something that overcomes a lot of veterans,” Barraza said. “You see a lot when you're over there."

An Army battlefield survey showed that morale is down among soldiers in Afghanistan. The survey also found that soldiers were depressed and suffered with other mental disorders.

The suicide rate among soldiers may be slightly on the rise. From January 2008 to October 2008, the Army reported 115 soldiers committed suicide. From January 2009 to October 2009 the Army reported 133 soldiers committed suicide, aalthough the Army is still trying to confirm if all of them were actual suicides.

Mental health is something New Mexico Rep. Harry Teague has been working on.

"With the new legislation that we have, everyone is going to get a face-to-face screening with a medical professional when they come back," Teague told reporters at Fort Bliss Thursday.

Veterans said there is something simple people can do to give to give soldiers a boost.

"If I see a soldier, I shake his hand and thank him," Barraza said.