Deadline for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay Extended Again

Filed under AW2, Resources, Warrior Transition Command by on January 25, 2011 at 10:41 am {no comments}

By Ron Perry, AW2 Finance Advisor

The deadline for eligible servicemembers, Veterans, and their beneficiaries to apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP) has been extended to March 4, 2011, allowing personnel more time to apply for the benefits they’ve earned under the program’s guidelines. This effects servicemembers who have not yet filed for RSLSP and had their enlistment involuntarily extended due to Stop Loss between September 11, 2001, and September 30, 2009.

Eligible servicemembers or their beneficiaries may be entitled to $500 per month for each month they were involuntarily extended on active duty by Stop Loss authority between September 11, 2001, and September 30, 2009.

Stop Loss payments are subject to federal and state taxes in most cases. DFAS will not have all W-2s or 1099s delivered until the end of January or early February. Recipients of Stop Loss payments should consider waiting until they receive their W-2s or 1099s before filing their federal and state taxes in order to avoid the need to file an amended return.

If a servicemember needs more information or meets eligibility criteria and would like to submit a claim, they should visit the U.S. Army Retroactive Stop Loss Pay Website before March 4, 2011, to be guaranteed payment. By law, there is no authorization to make payments on claims that are submitted after March 4, 2011.

Army Leaders Listen to Wounded Who Continued to Serve for Solutions

Filed under COAD/COAR, Staff Stories by on January 25, 2011 at 10:35 am {3 comments}

By Emily Oehler, WTC Stratcom

The Army Surgeon General LTG Eric B. Schoomaker (left) speaks to AW2 Director COL Greg Gadson (right) at the first AW2 COAD/COAR Forum.

Before the hard work begins today at the first AW2 COAD/COAR Forum, last night was about camaraderie among those who served, were severely wounded, and chose to stay on active duty post injury. 

COL Greg Gadson, AW2 Director, told the event delegates, “This is an opportunity to make a huge difference.  It’s our chance to make it better.” 

The 30 delegates are working this week to identify which regulations and policies need to be updated to support the severely wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers who continue on active duty/reserve post injury.  Some of the regulations date back to 1967 and Gadson, a COAD Soldier himself, pointed out that, “They were written by those who hadn’t walked in our shoes—and that’s OK because we’re here this week to fix them.” 

The event is part of the Army’s Warrior Care and Transition Program which is overseen by the Warrior Transition Command (WTC).  The Army’s commitment to this initiative was evident by the senior leaders in attendance including the Army Surgeon General LTG Eric B. Schoomaker, MEDCOM Command Sergeant Major CSM Althea Dixon, former WTC Commander BG Gary Cheek, WTC Deputy Mr. Tom Webb, and WTC Command Sergeant Major CSM Benjamin Scott, Jr.

At the AW2 COAD/COAR Forum, the Army Surgeon General LTG Eric B. Schoomaker (right) listened to two COAD Soldiers, including SSG John Stevenson (center), talk about the challenges they face.

LTG Schoomaker told the delegates, “You represent what Army medicine is all about.  It’s our job to create an environment that fosters the best in a Soldier and it’s critical for you to give us feedback on how to make it better.  I know that eventually you will all transition and it’s our job to ensure that once you transition that you go on to do great things.”  He closed stating, “You all are an inspiration showcasing your abilities—thank you and your Family for your service.”

In the week ahead, the Soldiers will work in two focus groups discussing issues pertaining to human resources, installations, medical care, training, and Veteran affairs, as well as recommending solutions. On the last day of the Forum, the delegates will vote and prioritize issues for resolution.  

As COL Gadson charged the delegates, “It’s going to be a hard, but fun week.  We just need to stay focused on improving the Army for future generations.”

SBA Resources for AW2 Veterans

Filed under Resources, Staff Stories by on January 21, 2011 at 4:42 pm {no comments}

By Sarah Greer, WTC Strategic Communications

I’ve been doing a lot of research recently on career and education resources for wounded warriors, and I was surprised at how many entrepreneurship resources the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers, primarily through the Office of Veterans Business Development. Many of these resources are available to nearly all Veterans, and AW2 Veterans considering starting a business should learn about the resources available.

According to an SBA press release, one in seven Veterans are self-employed or small business owners. And it only makes sense, because servicemembers spend so much time training in leadership, and I’ve found that they’re the type of people who are willing to take smart, educated risks to create a better life for themselves and their Families.

SBA resources include:

  • Loans: Through the first two programs below, SBA supported more than 4,800 loans to Veterans totaling more than $1.25 billion in FY2010 alone.
    • SBA 7(a) Loan: SBA backs loans to qualified small businesses, including Veteran-owned businesses, through this most popular loan program. SBA doesn’t lend the money, but provides a guarantee to the lending financial organization.
    • 504 loans for Veteran Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners: SBA backs this longer-term, fixed-rate loan to promote economic development within a community through Certified Development Companies (CDCs) that are set up to contribute to the economic development of its community. CDCs work with SBA and private sector lenders to provide financing to small businesses for approved purposes.
    • Patriot Express Loan Pilot Program: SBA offers this low-interest loan to Veterans and military personnel to expand or establish a small business.
  • Entrepreneurship Education: SBA provides counseling and training to Veterans interested in starting their own business.
    • Veteran Business Outreach Center Program (VBOC): SBA works with local organizations to provide business development services to Veterans. Services include business training, counseling and mentoring, and pre-business plan workshops.
    • Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV): SBA works closely with seven major business schools around the country to offer a one-year “boot camp” for service-disabled OEF/OIF Veterans.
    • Operation Endure & Grow: SBA offers this program in cooperation with the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. Veterans of the National Guard and Reserve, as well as their Families, may participate in this 8–week training program.
    • Women Veterans Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE): SBA offers this program in cooperation with the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. Women Veterans learn to expand or establish through online training, and an onsite conference, and they receive ongoing mentorship support after completing the program.
  • Opportunities for Federal Contracts: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) have a level playing field with other small businesses in the federal contracting arena, as established by the Small Business Jobs Act. SBA provides more information about the contracting options and resources on its website.
    • Contracting Tutorial: SBA offers an online training in federal contracting that can be taken any time, from any computer.
    • SBA Mentor-Protégé Program for SDVOSB: SBA plans to launch this program later this year—watch the AW2 blog for more information.

Are you an AW2 Veteran who’s started a small business? We’d love to hear from you and share your “lessons learned” with other AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families through the AW2 blog. Send us your story at WarriorCareCommunications@conus.army.mil.

Holding Hands–For Life

Filed under Diana Hume, Guest Blogger by on January 18, 2011 at 1:39 pm {2 comments}

By Diana Hume, AW2 Reserve Spouse and Guest Blogger

Diana Hume suggests ways organizations can more effectively support the wounded warrior community.

Editor’s Note: Diana Hume is a feature blogger for AW2 and shares her experiences as the wife of a severely wounded reservist. The expressed comments and views of guest bloggers do not reflect the views of WTC or the United States Army.

A recent image of the shooting tragedy that occurred in Arizona a few weeks ago hit home. It was of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords lying on a gurney, swiftly being taken by paramedics for medical attention. The image’s most moving detail was that her new intern was holding her hand, unknown to her, as she fought for her life. The comfort of touch radiated from the picture of chaos.

It can’t be denied that the lives of those touched by this tragedy will forever be changed. Like our Soldiers and their Families, it is something that they were not prepared for. However, there are ways we can hold hands in order to get the help we need.

As the world changes, so do the methods of warfare and the prevalence of certain war injuries. PTSD is quickly becoming the poster injury for our generation of Soldiers. We have a new found responsibility to think outside of the box and understand what needs to be done to help our wounded warriors and Families. This approach will help us define their new normal not just for the short term, but for the long haul. It will take all of us going beyond our comfort zone, just like those with PTSD do every day, to reach a successful new normal. Nevertheless, I am encouraged that it can be done.

Invisible injuries are not invisible to those who live with them every day. They are lifelong injuries just like visible ones. They are not healed and are injuries we learn to live with. People and organizations  that provide help need to get the proper training about this ghostly wound in order to make sure that their efforts in assisting those who live with PTSD and their Families can have an impact.

Throughout my new journey after my husband’s injury, I have found things that work and things that don’t. Much of what works is simple and very straight forward. My husband’s injury is very real and therefore, so is my need for helping hands to help me maintain hope. Those who were persistent to assist me, even when I didn’t ask, were the sources that helped me during my darkest times.

Organizations like the Yellow Ribbon Fund, Inc. never put the phone down until I received the help I needed. It wasn’t until they were confident that I had a plan in place, and one that worked for my Soldier and Family, that they knew they had been successful.  

The Yellow Ribbon Fund, Inc.  was like an angel on Earth. Their success stemmed from their patience and willingness to listening to me. They set aside judgment and instead offered compassionate helping hands that never seemed to let go. They knew how to take care of the details so that the healing could begin. To this day, I am forever grateful for their gifts to my Family.

To the individuals that run various organizations that help wounded warriors and their Families, you have the intent to help, but I now realize that learning from wounded warriors and their Families can help you more easily accomplish your missions.

First, don’t assume anything. Understand the people you are helping and understand that they are helpless and don’t know what they need; I sure didn’t. Remember, caretakers and those with PTSD respond with typical responses like “I am OK” and “I can do this.” As warriors, our faces on the outside look calm but the ones on the inside are lost.

Secondly, fragmented resources are abundant, but I ask that organizational leaders of Soldier and Family support groups continue to develop a strong connection with each other so that the dots can be better connected for our wounded. It’s somewhat like an old fashioned string telephone, those providing help must hold up their piece of the line to make the connections work. Each organization, non-profit, or military-sponsored program, has to step beyond their traditional methods to help in order to help the non-traditional: the invisibly wounded.

The AW2 Community Support Network is one initiative that has begun to put the pieces together. By linking organizations, holding conference calls, and sharing information, the AW2 Community Support Network is a platform that organizations can build upon. Action goes beyond the Community Support Network and calls for organizations to put information into action.

The greatest impact organizations can make is to continually reach out to those they aim to help. This takes more than just a single phone call, e-mail, or meeting. Those who are healing have so much on their plate that they truly need this type of persistent help. Just like Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford’s intern who held the congresswoman’s hand until help was secured, so do these organizations need to lend their hands to wounded warriors and their Families.

I ask supporting organizations that if possible, make it a weekly routine to contact the ones you are targeting to help. I know from experience, they may not call back and therefore, in order for you to seize your chance to make a difference, you need to be persistent until they tell you they don’t need you anymore. Take on the AW2 philosophy for as long as it takes. In many cases, your hand will be needed for the rest of their lives.

To close, I thank all of those who took time to comment on my prior blog post. I know for some individuals, commenting was not easy to do; however, your comments are powerful. Your voice is so important to others who walk along your similar path. I encourage you to continue commenting. Your voice will be heard and will add to the awareness of PTSD – the war injury of our generation’s war.

Strengthening Suicide Prevention Resources

Filed under Staff Stories, Warrior Transition Command by on January 13, 2011 at 9:58 am {no comments}

By COL Steven W. Swann, MD, FACS, FAADM, WTC Command Surgeon, Director, Clinical Support Division

The Army Suicide Prevention Program relies upon proactive and vigilant people who recognize danger and take action to save a life. Active engagement can help minimize the risk of suicide within the Army and stop tragic and unnecessary loss of human life. Suicide prevention is everybody’s business in the Army. As I read MAJ Eric McCoy’s suicide prevention blog, I knew as a commander he has much to tell new, young commanders. His blog discusses how to approach suicide prevention and has a number of his lessons learned as a commander who went through two suicides early in the train-up to deploy. By sharing lessons learned, the Army can further strengthen suicide prevention resources. We must continue to confront this issue head on.

The Army and Department of Defense continue to bring behavioral wellness and eliminating related stigma to the forefront of Soldier, Veteran, and Family care. The Army Suicide Prevention Task Force released their 2010 report with more than 250 recommendations, including establishing health promotion councils at each installation, expanding behavioral health screenings, and recruiting additional behavioral health counselors. The Army Deputy Chief of Staff also developed a Commander’s Tool Kit for suicide prevention to assist leaders at all levels as they implement their suicide prevention program. The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury supports a multi-pronged effort including reaching out to troops, Veterans, and their Families, psychological treatment and counseling, and programs to address stressors that may lead to suicide.

Suicide is a potentially preventable tragedy that profoundly impacts the Army Family. WTC encourages commanders to share lessons learned, create standard operating procedures, and educate Soldiers. Your efforts can save a life.

Lessons Learned from the Front: Preventing Suicides

Filed under Guest Blogger by on January 13, 2011 at 9:06 am {no comments}

By MAJ Eric McCoy, Guest Blogger

Editor’s Note: MAJ Eric McCoy is an Infantry Brigade Combat Team Executive Officer. He wrote this blog as part of an Intermediate Level Education Course and asked WTC to share their unit lessons learned with other Army units. The expressed comments and views of guest bloggers do not reflect the views of WTC or the United States Army.

The purpose of this commentary is to provide information on observations and lessons learned from the two suicides experienced by my battalion during the first 90 days of our initial stand-up and formal activation in the hopes that other leaders can learn from the challenges we experienced and intervene at the right place and time to save the lives of other Soldiers. Since then we have published a Battalion Suicide Prevention Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and aggressively implemented active suicide prevention policies to mitigate potential for successful suicide ideation. Our strategies include: identification of high-risk Soldiers by company, continual enrollment of leaders and Soldiers in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) in excess of the requirements imposed by our higher headquarters, quarterly safety stand downs focused on risk mitigation, counseling, and communication between Soldiers and the first line supervisors, and finally, continual assessment and intervention in garrison and the field by unit ministry teams and health care providers.

The first Soldier to commit suicide in my unit was last seen at the end of July and was subsequently listed as Absent without Leave (AWOL). He was discovered approximately three weeks later in a barracks room. Post-mortem investigations determined that the servicemember had disciplinary problems. He was pending administrative separation for drug use, was under criminal investigation for drug possession with intent to distribute, and was pending civilian charges for grand larceny. He had visited an off-post behavioral health provider prior to his AWOL and subsequent suicide. During this visit, he divulged a prior suicide attempt that was communicated to the escort by the health provider but not passed back to the chain of command. The second Soldier to commit suicide in my unit did so approximately 10 days after the first Soldier’s body was discovered. He was discovered hanging from the balcony above his apartment. A civilian police investigation determined that the servicemember had committed suicide by hanging utilizing a belt tied to the banister of the balcony. Post-mortem investigations indicate that he was depressed by suspicions of infidelity from his spouse, whom he married less than a month prior to the suicide.

There were three important lessons that we learned from the incidents as a unit that we would like to share with the rest of our brother and sister units.

First, planners and senior leaders must work the personnel staffing of newly activated/ reconstituted units to ensure that continuity within the chain of command is maintained. For the six months prior to our formal activation, the unit advance party (ADVON) operated as one company mass formation. Additionally, 75% of our company first sergeants were laterally appointed prior to unit activation, which created confusion, and hindered unity of command as separate companies had not yet activated. Unit leadership did not begin breaking down into separate companies until the second week of July. As a result, Soldiers had “musical” squad leaders who did not have full situational awareness of their issues or concerns. Earlier awareness of Soldier issues could have mitigated, if not prevented, one or both of the suicides. I recommend that straight lines of command be stressed earlier in the unit stand-up and activation process.

Secondly, behavioral health assets to include unit ministry teams and mental health providers must be made available earlier in the unit building process. During our initial activation, a chaplain was not assigned to our brigade footprint until seven months after our Soldiers began arriving and a behavioral health officer was not assigned until eight months thereafter. While area coverage is a mitigation strategy, it does not replace impact of chaplains and behavioral health providers being on ground. Additionally, a lack of health care providers (medics and physician assistants) hindered feedback to organic chains of command on systemic health issues (to include behavioral and self-reported substance abuse) that affect our Soldiers. I recommend that we advocate for earlier building of health care providers and assets into footprints of newly activating units.

Finally, the medical history of high risk Soldiers must be made more readily accessible to unit leadership. In the post-mortem medical reviews on both suicides within our battalion, information was discovered that, while unknown to the chain of command, could have changed unit actions toward the servicemembers. In the case of the first Soldier, he admitted to illegal drug use prior to and since his enlistment. The Soldier also divulged a history of long protracted behavioral healthcare since early childhood (to include two prior suicide attempts). I recommend that both unit leadership and health care providers be educated through leader professional development seminars, unit training schools, and policies on the need to cross talk, within the limits of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), on health care issues that involve Soldiers’ immediate well-being. Additionally, I recommend that units establish internal systems to ensure that unit leaders are immediately notified of behavioral health issues involving their Soldiers when there is a possibility of homicidal or suicidal ideations.

Soldier deaths due to off-duty and/or accidental risk can be prevented with implementation of the proper mitigation strategies. It is my hope that these observations can aid leaders in seeing themselves and their units in a more objective light so that they can help themselves and their Soldiers as well.

Army Wounded Warrior Athletes Train with U.S. Paralympic Sitting Volleyball Coaches and Team Members in Oklahoma

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on January 10, 2011 at 5:59 pm {no comments}

By Erich Langer, WTC Stratcom 

SFC Chris Livesay, Fort Carson, CO, practices hitting a volleyball with other wounded warrior athletes during a sitting volleball training clinic held at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Thirty wounded warriors from Army commands as far as Hawaii and Europe descended on a small bedroom community north of Oklahoma City, OK, this past weekend to hone their sitting volleyball skills. These wounded warriors included military police officers, engineers, rangers, 88 M truck drivers, and three Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Veterans. Supported by coaches and members of the U.S. Paralympic Volleyball team, these athletes trained to get one step closer to the 2011 Warrior Games.

The second annual 2011 Warrior Games, scheduled for May 16–21, 2011, at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, will bring 200 wounded, ill, and injured service members from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces together in athletic competition. Athletes will compete in several sports including shooting, swimming, archery, track and field, cycling, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair basketball.

In 2010, the Army sitting volleyball Warrior Games team took home the silver medal after being defeated by the Marines. This inspired SGT Cayle Foidel, a 2010 Warrior Games gold medalist and newcomer to sitting volleyball, to train for the 2011 Army sitting volleyball Warrior Games team. Foidel explained, “We all feel we need to get better and are committed to doing so. We’ve trained hard this week and I used muscles I didn’t even know I had. My butt really hurts!” 

MSG James Shiver, Warrior Transition Command (WTC) Non-Commissioned Officer-in-Charge of Adaptive Sports, explained the WTC’s collaboration with other organizations to make the event possible.  “WTC is working closely with our University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) partners to coach, train, and select the Army’s 2011 Warrior Games team. We’re really excited to have the opportunity to team with UCO and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees to prepare our athletes for competition against the Marines, Navy, and Air Force teams.” 

Elliott Blake, UCO sitting volleyball coordinator, was responsible for the training regime, schedule, and further development of the athletes into cohesive team players. During orientation, Blake set the tone for the week by telling the athletes, “We’re going to work you hard and we don’t want excuses. We won’t tolerate tardiness and following instructions is key to your success at this week’s clinic. The more athletes follow our instructions, the more they will learn and progress, and ultimately improve their chances of making the Army team.” 

Wounded warrior athletes welcomed the intense training. SPC Robert Nuss, Fort Benning Warrior Transition Unit (WTU), said concerning the training, “I am learning a lot of new skills here and it’s great to get this opportunity to train with the Paralympic coaches and players. I went to Warrior Games last year and placed second in the Chairman’s Cup, and I am very excited about the opportunity to go back in 2011.” 

Although SPC Damion Peyton, Fort Gordon, GA, didn’t make the team in 2010, he agreed with Nuss about the clinic. “Practice has been a bit much and the training has been very extreme, but the clinic is a great method to determine the best Soldiers for the team.” 

Another newcomer to Warrior Games training and sitting volleyball is AW2 Veteran Margaux Vair who played various sports throughout high school and joined the military to compete on the Army Women’s Soccer Team. “I played traditional volleyball in high school in Colorado, but sitting volleyball is really different,” she said. “It’s all upper body work and I’ve got blisters on my thumbs, my hands are sore, and my butt really hurts. It looks easy as folks slide around on the floor, but it really is deceptive on how hard you’re working out there.” 

Shiver, who coordinated the sitting volleyball clinic, also set up last month’s wheelchair basketball clinic and this month’s upcoming shooting clinic with the Army’s Marksmanship School at Fort Benning, believes all the training will pay off. He stated, “Yes, our goal is to win Warrior Games and we are committed to train and field the best team we can. However, I want to get all 10,000 Soldiers in our WTUs involved in sports and recreation. If you get people involved in sports, it will spill over and get other people motivated in pursuing education, rehabilitation, and other areas.” 

Shiver encouraged all wounded, ill, and injured athletes that want to compete in the 2011 Warrior Games to contact their chain of command and submit a nomination packet. Nominations are due no later than February 1, 2011. Packets will be evaluated by WTC and the Army team will be announced on February 15, 2011.

Thank You for the Gift of Life

Filed under COL Gadson, Resources by on January 7, 2011 at 2:00 pm {one comment}

By COL Greg Gadson, AW2 Director

Bags and vials of blood await processing during an Armed Services Blood Program Blood (ASBP) drive. The ASBP program is different from other blood donations because all of the donations go straight to servicemembers.

During January, National Blood Donor Month, I am reminded of the gift of life I was given. When my vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in 2007, I was severely injured and lost a substantial amount of blood.

I was given 129 pints of blood the first night at the hospital. I would go on to lose both of my legs above the knee and would require many more pints of blood to stay alive. Because of the gift of life, blood, I am here today.

The Armed Services Blood Program works with thousands of dedicated donors who give blood so that servicemembers, retirees, and their Families have a fighting chance when they are ill or wounded.

Blood must be collected continuously, and regular donors are key to ensuring that blood is available year-round. One blood donation can save up to three lives. Blood donors come through day-after-day, and their selfless gifts allow the Armed Services Blood Program to help the military community.

The Red Cross notes that January is a difficult month for blood donations. Inclement weather, seasonal colds, and flu may prevent blood donations. So I urge you to consider donating blood to the Armed Services Blood Program or the Red Cross this month—and anytime you are able—to ensure a stable supply. By donating blood regularly, you make vital contributions to healthcare and help save lives. 

Thank you for the gift of life.

Editor’s Note: The Armed Services Blood Program operates more than 20 donor centers around the world. To learn more about the Armed Services Blood Program, find a blood donor center near you, or to find out more about blood donor centers, please visit the Armed Services Blood Program Website or the Armed Services Blood Program Facebook Page. To donate blood to the Red Cross call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit the Red Cross Website to make an appointment or for more information.

Geotagging on Social Media Networks–A Hidden Threat

Filed under Resources by on January 5, 2011 at 4:59 pm {one comment}

By Alan Morales, WTC Stratcom

As easy as it is to update your Facebook© status, you may be exposing yourself to a substantial amount of risk. Social media makes it easy to share information, but what about information you would never want to share publicly? Geotagging is one social media technology that shares information you may be unaware about.

Digital photos are embedded with information. Similar to a date and time stamp on your 3x5” photographs, digital photos store data about when and more importantly where your photos were taken. In return, this data can be retrieved by social media websites and applications to share with the public. This is called geotagging.

For example, the Google© search engine I use practically every day can link photos posted online on various websites to its Google© Maps online application–revealing the location of where these photos were taken for anyone to see. By posting these online, you may be sharing your home address with a few million of your not-so-closest friends.

Depending on your privacy settings, geotagging may be active on your social media profiles. Websites that can geotag include:

  • Twitpic™
  • Flickr©
  • Various other photosharing applications

Why is this trend such a big deal? Geotagging poses an operational security risk to military operations. Soldiers who post photos online may be compromising critical data about operations in theater. Additionally, geotagging also poses an equally as damaging risk to those stateside who may not even be active duty or military at all. For these individuals, their frequented locations may become revealed to the general public every time they post a photo online. 

In order to address this issue, the U.S. Army Office of the Chief of Public Affairs posted a geotagging and location-based networking presentation online that explains how to adjust privacy settings on social media profiles to avoid geotagging. In addition, this presentation provides an in-depth description about how GPS technology, similar to geotagging, poses additional risks for social media users.

I highly recommend taking a look at this presentation and sharing it with others in our wounded warrior community. Whether you are an AW2 Soldier, Veteran, or Family member, these best practices can help prevent damaging consequences that may affect you and your loved ones while keeping social media the way it should be, fun.

The War Behind Closed Doors

Filed under Diana Hume, Guest Blogger by on December 27, 2010 at 5:12 pm {6 comments}

By Diana Hume, AW2 Reserve Spouse and Guest Blogger

Diana Hume offers resources to help others understand the impact of living with PTSD.

Editor’s Note: Diana Hume is a feature blogger for AW2 and shares her experiences as the wife of a severely wounded reservist. The expressed comments and views of guest bloggers do not reflect the views of WTC or the United States Army.

The effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are just beginning to be understood. During my time at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I noticed that those with visible wounds were treated as rock stars while those with invisible wounds silently carried on without the attention the others received. These Soldiers kept trying to be the Soldier they once were pre-deployment. I found out the hard way that there is no prosthetic for invisible wounds like PTSD.

PTSD is complex because it doesn’t take the form of a body disfigurement or a lost limb. I see my husband walking, talking, and trying to function every day. But for those who live with him, they are well aware that he’s actually taking on the weight of the universe. The pain is visible in his face, his motions, and self-controlled isolation. 

Part of me feels that PTSD comes off as a buzz term in news segments. I wonder how many people actually know about the condition. How many Americans can say they understand PTSD? More importantly how many people understand what PTSD means to not just Soldiers but for their caretakers and Families?

When I first faced PTSD, I tried so hard to grasp what this injury meant to my husband. I did what most Army spouses did in this situation. I began researching and reading all I could find on the subject, but could not quench my thirst for true understanding. Although I found some short-term help for caretakers, I needed something that could help me in the long run. Here are a few good places to start:

Wounded warriors with PTSD have no idea who they are. They hurt. They climb into black holes and rarely come out. PTSD is anger that can easily become rage and when self-medicating becomes the norm, along with avoidance, the true damage takes the form of broken relationships, lost jobs, incarceration, and in some extreme cases, suicide. Because it is not visible to the eye, it is glazed over and misunderstood.

Those with PTSD and their caretakers struggle with the peaks and valleys that come with PTSD. We are told to learn to recognize the triggers, but for many of us, the triggers are still a mystery and we never know when the eruption will occur. The abrupt eruptions of anger suddenly become part of our daily life and reality. It becomes so intangible that wrapping our arms around it to alleviate the situation hurts more than it helps. It hurts even more that the public doesn’t seem to understand how PTSD has, and continues to, plagued my Family.

One example that highlights the public’s perception of PTSD was at Walter Reed Medical Center in DC when Oprah Winfrey filmed a segment on the visible wounds of war. While at the physical therapy unit, she took a moment to shake the hands of the wounded warriors. However, when my wounded warrior had a moment to shake her hand, she turned her back to him because she did not see any visible wounds and thought he was any other healthy Soldier. Needless to say, this did not sit well with me. The moment I had the opportunity, I walked up to her, looked her in the eye and told her about the men and women who were standing right in front of her and who are just as wounded as those with missing arms and legs. Although their injuries are invisible, they are suffering just as much as the men and women she featured on her segment.

To this day, I am not sure how she received my words, but I do know she eventually took action to get my point across to her audience. Just a few weeks later, she aired the segment on television and I realized that she included a journalist who had been in Iraq and ultimately was diagnosed with PTSD. She also told her audience about our interaction, telling her viewers that an Army spouse informed her about the invisible wounds of war that caused just as much suffering to wounded warriors as visible wounds cause. At that point, I knew that I at least was able to get Oprah to start a conversation.

My experience with Oprah was the first of many experiences when people asked me if my husband is wounded. After saying yes, they always follow-up with, “but what is wrong with him?” For Soldiers with invisible wounds, this can be a defeating comment that stays with them and makes them feel like they are the ones who need to get over it.

My point with this blog is to inspire a discussion about what PTSD really is and what is needed to help those living with it overcome this challenge. PTSD is never healed and it impacts the lives of not just the  Soldiers who are invisibly disfigured, but those who love them. Although hard data on PTSD’s impact on America is not yet available, I believe you can measure PTSD’s impact in the number of divorces, suicides, and extended Family therapy that people undergo.

Wounded warriors suffering from PTSD need the same level of support that Soldiers with visible wounds receive. That is why it is important to continue communicating about PTSD and how people can manage the condition. Don’t get me wrong, there are many Americans who truly care. They are listening. However, it is up to Soldiers, Veterans, and Families who are combating PTSD to inform the rest of America on how to take action. I believe that by getting the word out, America’s take on PTSD will move in a positive direction.

Caretakers can either choose to ignore PTSD or choose to improve their wounded warrior’s life. I made a choice a long time ago to make an improvement. For those in the AW2 community, I hope I have inspired you to speak up for those who have PTSD. We have to accept PTSD for what it is and with this approach we can do something that will help wounded warriors and their Families.

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Warriors in Transition can submit a blog by e-mailing WarriorCareCommunications [at] conus.army.mil.