The Army Brings Visibility to Invisible Wounds

Filed under Warrior Transition Command by on November 14, 2012 at 1:00 pm {no comments}

The U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) oversees Army Medicine and the U.S. Army Warrior Transition Command (WTC) which provides support and services for wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, Families, and Caregivers, some of who face behavioral health challenges.

By Alli Kartachak, WTC Stratcom
For many wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers returning home after deployment, readjusting and successfully transitioning back into life at home is a major challenge. Some find themselves navigating a completely new path with changed physical circumstances, like an amputated limb, paralysis, or severe burns. Others battle the “invisible wounds” from deployment, or behavioral health issues.

Although those tackling invisible wounds may not appear to require as much assistance as their counterparts with physical injuries, they are facing real challenges that require real treatment. Learning to cope with these challenges is the first step of an emotional and life-changing transition process.

Behavioral health issues in the Army include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), substance abuse, and depression, to name a few. The Army recognizes the importance of addressing these “invisible wounds” and provides a significant means of support for Soldiers, Veterans, Families, and Caregivers, presenting them with an abundance of resources for coping with related challenges.

Widespread educational awareness and prevention are the Army’s key initiatives to support behavioral health throughout the force. Examples include:

  • DOD Family and Civilian Suicide Prevention Training, a mandatory annual training which aims to educate this population
  • Army Behavioral Health website, a resource for anyone who wants to learn more about behavioral health issues
  • Army and Military OneSource, DOD websites that offer helpful services to military and Army personnel, regardless of geographical location
  • Resiliency, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness

Additionally, at each Warrior Transition Unit (WTU), trained professionals work to provide support and services for wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers while they recover. Soldiers in each WTU are supported by a Triad of Care consisting of a primary care manager, a nurse case manager, and a squad leader, who work together with an interdisciplinary team of medical and nonmedical professionals to address the Soldier’s full range of injuries. Each Soldier works through his or her customized plan to set and reach personal goals based on medical condition and treatment requirements. Those battling behavioral health challenges can customize this plan to accomplish goals relevant to overcoming the associated obstacles.

Do you have any questions about behavioral health related to Army warrior care? For more information or to find out how you can help a Soldier or Veteran in need, visit http://www.behavioralhealth.army.mil/index.cfm.

Call-to-Action–Get Smart on the inTransition Program

Filed under Resources, Warrior Transition Command, WTU/WTB by on August 12, 2010 at 4:25 pm {no comments}
By BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander

inTransition offers coaching services to WTs who receive behavioral health care and are about to transition between health providers.

Transition between providers can be a confusing time for any patient.  It calls on us to get smart on the tools provided by the military so we can better serve injured Soldiers as they start taking their next step in the treatment process.

With this challenge in mind, I came across a relatively new program called inTransition. A program headed by the Defense Center of Excellence (DCoE) and Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), inTransition offers coaching services to Warriors in Transition (WTs) who are receiving behavioral health care treatment and who are about to transition between providers.

inTransition is staffed by certified behavioral health providers and offers services 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to those who voluntarily seek their help. Whether it is learning about the resources available in a new location or a few words of encouragement during a challenging time, inTransition is available to all WTs and their Families.

From my perspective, everyone needs a coach and when it comes to behavioral health care, mixed with a change in providers, it becomes even more important.  Because we all understand that these changes often lead to bumps in the road, I encourage providers to learn about this program and WTs to take advantage of their services.

To make it a little easier, inTransition is offering an introductory webinar on August 19th at 2:30 p.m. so all military mental health providers can learn more about the program. To register, follow the directions on the DCoE website: http://www.dcoe.health.mil/DCoENews/inTransitiontoHostWebinarAug19.aspx .

Getting smart makes us stronger, and now you can do it from your own computer screen.

Operation Enduring Care – Wounded Warrior Family and Caregiver Conference

Filed under Behavioral Health, Training by on August 5, 2010 at 8:05 am {no comments}

By Patty Sands, WTC Stratcom

Thursday, September 23, 2010
Centennial Club at Biggs Airfield, Fort Bliss
0800 hrs – 1700 hrs

Click here to register for the conference. 

The USO is partnering with Fort Bliss to bring the first-ever Wounded Warrior Family and Caregiver Conference to the military community. Special guest presenters will share their expertise during a range of sessions, focusing on a variety of topics that include post-traumatic stress disorder, caregiver boundaries and intimacy, parenting, financial security and suicide prevention.

This conference is for spouses, parents, and caregivers of Wounded Warriors. Local school counselors and administrators are also welcome.

Two evening activities are scheduled to take place at the conclusion of the conference:

  • A BBQ for Wounded Warriors, their caregivers, and families, 1745 hrs – 1915 hrs.
  • A concert open to Fort Bliss and all conference attendees, 1930 hrs – 2100 hrs.

Is there a registration fee?
Registration is complimentary.

What is the deadline to register?
Space is available on a first come, first served basis. To guarantee your spot, please register by Monday, August 23. We will do our best to accommodate individuals who would like to register after this date.

Who is allowed to attend the conference?
Spouses, parents, caregivers and children of Wounded Warriors are invited to attend. Local school counselors and administrators are also welcome.

What meals will be served during the conference?
Lunch will be served along with morning and afternoon coffee breaks. A BBQ will be held in the evening and is open to caregivers and wounded warriors.

Are my children able to attend the conference?
Child care will be provided during the conference. Children are also welcome to attend the evening BBQ and concert. Please be sure to indicate on your registration form how many children you will be bringing.

Is there lodging available?
Yes. All active, guard and reserve members of the Armed Forces, retirees, and dependents are authorized to use Fort Bliss lodging facilities. Shuttle service is available to and from the El Paso International Airport. Courtesy transportation is also available to and from the Centennial Club. Call 915-565-7777 and reference the group code, “USOCON” to make your reservations.

Who will be speaking at the conference?
Guest speakers will include members of the military, wounded warriors and their caregivers, and subject matter experts. We will continue to update the conference agenda and expect to have a final agenda listing all confirmed speakers by late July.

Go to the event website

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.

Checkout DCoE’s Next Monthly Webinar: “Reintegration: Adjusting to Life at Home After Deployment”

Filed under Behavioral Health, DoD, Resources by on July 21, 2010 at 1:59 pm {one comment}

By Alan Morales, WTC Stratcom

One of the major obstacles Soldiers and Veterans face upon return from combat are those related to psychological health and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Due to the overwhelming need to address these challenges, the Department of Defense stood-up the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) in 2007. As an organization determined to improve the way psychological health and TBI are treated, DCoE has made strides to ensure that America’s service members and Veterans have access to the information necessary to start taking steps towards effectively dealing with these challenges.

One of the many ways DCoE is educating individuals is through its monthly webinar series aimed to provide information and facilitate discussion on a variety of topics related to psychological health and TBI. This Thursday, July 22nd at 1300-1430 EST, DCoE plans to present its next webinar entitled: “Reintegration: Adjusting to Life at Home After Deployment.” With discussions led by medical subject matter experts, the webinar plans to unravel many of the challenges service members face during the reintegration process. These challenges include, but are not limited to:

  • Readjusting to Family life
  • Going back to work
  • Coping with combat related stress and injury

This webinar will also feature personal accounts of deployment to Afghanistan, bringing a closer look to readjustment through the words of those who have travelled down the road of reintegration. In addition, DCoE has selected various types of resources to compliment this week’s webinar. To take a look at these resources, click this link: http://www.dcoe.health.mil/Training/MonthlyWebinars.aspx.

The webinar is planned to be very insightful and can easily be viewed from your computer screen at home. If you have a moment to check it out, please share your thoughts with the AW2 Blog so you can continue to support AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families by sharing with them what you learned.

To register for the webinar, to be added to the distribution list, or for more information, e-mail your contact information to DCoE.MonthlyWebinar@tma.osd.mil

My Day with Service Dogs

Filed under Advocate Story, Behavioral Health, Community Support Network, Non-profit, Resources, Staff Stories by on March 19, 2010 at 3:38 pm {2 comments}

By Ann Yingling, AW2 Advocate

I had a really cool day recently! Jeff, one of the Veterans I work with, is in the process of receiving a psychiatric service dog through Paws 4 Vets, a member of the AW2 Community Support Network.

I say “process” because it is certainly that. There are applications, interviews, home studies, and “bumps” to attend. (A bump is the process of meeting various dogs to see if any of them bond with the human. And believe me—the dog is the one doing the choosing!) There are trainers to meet, training to attend, and on and on. And it is for good reason that the process is so meticulous—this is serious stuff, not only for the person who receives the dog, but for the dog, too. It’s finding a life partner and making a life-long commitment!

But back to my day… I traveled to Fort Stewart where Paws 4 Vets has a pilot program with the Warrior Transition Battalion there. Both Cadre and Soldiers assigned to the WTB will be training the dogs, which will eventually be assigned to a Soldier or Veteran. Attending that day at Fort Stewart were Terry Henry, Director of Paws 4 Vets, his daughter Kyria who trains the trainers, the Soldiers who will be training the dogs, and Jeff and his parents.

We started out with basic introductions—Jeff and another Veteran (Navy!) who will also be receiving a dog, told the group their “story”. It was very emotional—both heart breaking and heart warming, listening to these two Veterans talk about their service in Iraq, their struggles with PTSD, and the hope for a “normal” life that the dogs have given them. All the while they were speaking, several beautiful golden retrievers and a black lab lay quietly and patiently at their feet. The Soldiers who are training the dogs then spoke about how this program has given them something worthwhile to get excited about—knowing that they will be helping out a fellow wounded warrior. They also told of the benefits received from the dogs in their own healing process.

Then we got to see Sallie, one of the goldens, in action! She showed us just one way that she will be helping a wounded warrior who suffers from agoraphobia (the fear of crowds or open spaces). If Jeff (for example) and Sallie are out in public, and someone is approaching Jeff from behind, Sallie will nudge Jeff in a special way to alert him. If Jeff is not paying attention, Sallie will nudge a second time, a little harder. If the person has approached within an arm’s length of Jeff, Sallie gives a very definitive bark to alert him. Another way a psychiatric service dog has been known to help is that they can “sense” things we humans can’t. For example—for someone who is prone to seizures, flashbacks, or nightmares, the dog might sense the event before it actually happens. Dogs have been known to warn a person of an oncoming seizure—alerting the person so that he can get to a safe place before the onset of the seizure. Dogs can wake a person up before the he becomes too entrenched in a nightmare or flashback. Also, the responsibility of having a service dog is another “hidden” benefit. A dog has to be let out and has to be walked and fed. These responsibilities can help get a person out of the house, give the person a mission or something to focus on.

At Fort Stewart that day, I saw lots of neat “tricks” that a psychiatric service dog can do and I also witnessed the most basic benefit of a service dog: the love and companionship provided. No one loves you as unconditionally as a dog!

Give an Hour Provides Free Counseling

Filed under Behavioral Health, Community Support Network, Non-profit, Resources by on February 25, 2010 at 10:00 am {no comments}

By Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D., Founder & President of Give an Hour

Give an Hour is a national nonprofit organization delivering free mental health counseling services to active duty service members, members of our National Guard and Reserve forces, and Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who have separated or retired from any branch of military service.  In addition to these military personnel and their spouses and children, Give an Hour offers services to parents, siblings, and unmarried partners.  Through our network of nearly 5,000 providers nationwide, we aim to provide easy access to skilled professionals offering a wide range of services including:

  • individual, marital, and family therapy
  • substance abuse counseling
  • treatment for post-traumatic stress
  • counseling for individuals with traumatic brain injuries

Returning combat Veterans suffering from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress are not routinely seeking the mental health treatment they need.  Many fear that seeking mental health services will jeopardize their career or standing.  Given the military culture’s emphasis on confidence, strength, and bravery, others are reluctant to expose their vulnerabilities to counselors who are often military personnel themselves.  By providing free and confidential services that are separate from the military establishment, we offer an essential option for men and women who might otherwise fail to seek or receive appropriate services.

AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Family members in need of services can visit www.giveanhour.org and use a zip-code finder to locate a provider in his or her area.  Give an Hour is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.

RSS feed

Write a blog for WTC

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