DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Kevin J. Steinberg

Cmdr. Sarah Arnold is a physician trained in family medicine and preventive medicine. She served in the Navy for 14 years and completed two tours in Iraq. Five years ago, she lost her friend to suicide and was compelled to write about it, in part because she was the last person to see her colleague and friend before she died and also for her own healing.

Two police officers stood at my front door. As I invited them in, they asked if I knew the whereabouts of my friend Dawn (name changed) because she was missing from the hospital. Dawn, a Navy nurse, and I, a Navy doctor, at the time, worked together. We went our separate ways, as we all do in the Navy after a tour is over. I was now in a residency program, and she was stationed at another clinic. That’s why I was surprised to see her one day at the hospital where I was working.

	Shaquille Vance, a U.S. Paralympian, trains at the fitness center track at RAF Lakenheath, England, Aug. 20, 2012. More than 50 U.S. Paralympians and hopefuls, including wounded and injured U.S. service members, were honing their skills and making final preparations for competition in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Connor Estes)

From the start of the London Olympics through the closing ceremonies, we watched American athletes compete every day filled with patriotism and excitement. But for some athletes currently competing in the London Paralympics, Aug. 29 to Sept. 9, they are doing more than just wearing the American flag – they are wearing or have worn a uniform.

Of the 227 members of the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team, 20 are active-duty service members or veterans, some injured during their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. These world-class athletes are showing their countrymen and the world that it’s possible to overcome physical injuries, psychological health challenges and still excel.

The predecessor to the modern-day Paralympics was first held in England in 1948, for World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. The Paralympics have since expanded to include athletes with physical, visual and intellectual disabilities competing in 19 sports – it’s now the world’s second largest sporting event after the Olympics, with a record 165 nations competing this year with 4,200 athletes.

“You carry around the stress of all the troops. From your [commanding officer] to the private, they come to you. The question is: who do you go to?”    —U.S. Navy Lt. (Chaplain) Jose Bautista Rojas

Real Warriors Campaign recently launched video public service announcements (PSAs) highlighting the importance for caregivers to seek help. Whether at home or deployed, medics, nurses, physicians, chaplains and military families often cope with both their own stress and those they support. Watch and share the PSAs to encourage caregivers to reach out for support if they’re coping with stress or other psychological health concerns.

Video courtesy of Real Warriors Campaign

	Photo courtesy of Sarah Heynen

“He was the last person to take his own life.”

These 10 simple words were repeated by several speakers on the TAPS Suicide Survivor Panel Session at the annual DoD/VA Suicide Prevention Conference, and they instantly brought me back to my own experience.

I can remember it like it was yesterday. The day our eyes locked was like one of those movie scenes where the world around stops and everyone else goes into some blurred montage — except it was real life, my life. I fell in love. I found my best friend. We lived on different continents but with frequent communication formed a bond and closeness that I had never experienced.

The next time my world stopped felt like a nightmare. I can also remember it like it was yesterday. The day I felt a pain so deep it didn’t seem possible and the animalistic screams of terror that I let out in pure reaction to the news.

	Jeremy Hilton, the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year, with his wife, Air Force Lt. Col. Renae Hilton, and their children, Jack and Kate. (Photo courtesy of Military Spouse Magazine)

You might call Jeremy Hilton the ultimate juggler. After Military Spouse Magazine presented him with the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year award — the first presented to a male — he’s balanced advocating for military families impacted by disabilities with being a full-time dad to his children Kate, 9, and Jack, 2, while his wife, Lt. Col. Renae Hilton, serves on active duty in the Air Force. Hilton retired from the Navy nine years ago to care for his daughter when she was diagnosed with a condition that caused significant brain damage. Yet despite these challenges, Hilton keeps resilient by recognizing the important role he has in serving our nation by being a military spouse and dad.

With Father’s Day approaching, we asked Hilton how he copes with the tough transitions of military life and reaches out to other military spouses — some just like him.

How has your life changed since receiving the Military Spouse of the Year Award?

This award opens a lot of opportunities — it gives you that extra bit of “oomph” to make people listen to your issues. I’ve recently met [retired] Navy Adm. Mike Mullen [former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] at an American Red Cross event. When I gave him my card he said, “Hmmm … tell me about that.” Being a guy with this award is unique enough for people to really open up to you.