Comments (6)

• Sandrra Engstrand 04 Jun

  I have a son who was wounded in combat in 2010, and is now an amputee! Episodes and outbursts of anger, and depression, still exist, even 4 yrs after he and his unit were ambushed in Afghanistan! Sleep deprivation and flashbacks and certain outside surroundings, such as under and overpasses, take him bk to Iraq as well, when performing route clearance missions! His marital separation in 2010, when he was still in out-patient status at WRAMC, has had such an impact, that he has given up on his life ever being normal again! His sense of loneliness and betrayal by others since returning home from the war, has overwhelmed him, but yet, he refuses to seek help unless however, he can talk to a Therapists, a Combat Veteran such as himself, and has seen what he has seen and engaged what he himself has in the Military, and particularly the U.S. Army!! The betrayal my son has felt and continues to feel, is not just the betrayal he feels from his wife's infidelity, but also the betrayal he felt in part at Walter Reed, having a different doctor, therapist etc, every 2 weeks, all the way up to the Chain of Command! I personally hold Walter Reed responsible for my sons ongoing deterioration, when a C.O. at Walter Reed, and following his evaluation of my son, released a soldier with severe PTSD and TBI, to Out-Patient status, against his own wishes and better judgment, knowing fully well that my son was not ready to go to Out-Patient, as my son sat in that room, and cried uncontrollably, following his 3rd and last amputation! It was the first time my son was able to get his feelings of depression out that day, since flown from Germany to Walter reed! Yet still he was released to Out-Patient Status, rather than order and refer my son, to In-Patient Group Therapy, which is what he really needed at that time! Had he been not been released, against that C.O.'s better judgment, and properly treated for his TBI-Mild and PTSD conditions, just maybe his present state of mind, would have had a more desirable outcome! I was even told by my daughter that after my son had been In-Patient at WRAMC for the first 2 weeks, that he didn't even remember graduating High School! And to this day, blanks of his childhood and teen years, are still a blank! To this day he is still unable to remember his H.S. Graduation party, due to his TBI! My son still suffers from Bi-Lateral Hearing Loss.. (10% each ear). But yet the VA claims that his hearing loss is not Service Connected..How can this be, when both of his eardrums were perforated from the 4 RPG blast he and is men sustained the day he was wounded! We send our boys off to war, but they are never prepared for and taken care of when they return! And parents are not prepared either! These last 4 years have been extremely difficult, for not just my son but also for me as well, as he continues to go through his transition since discharged from the Military, and recover from his wounds, and goes through life, like some lost soul!

• Kevin Clark 05 Jun

  I am glad to see your article about PTSD Myths. I have some firsthand experience with PTSD myths, when I was outprocessing from Ft. Stewart GA following my deployment for Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm. I was told by the NCO's who were doing the out processing that if I reported any of the symptoms that I was experiencing  I would be "placed on a psych hold and not allowed to out process" also that reporting those symptoms would make me appear "crazy" and might interfere with my future professional goals. I was 21 and I listened. I went home angry, needing help. I threw away everything that reminded me of the Army and tried to move on with my life. I needed help then and my superiors discouraged me from getting it. I suffered for years needlessly! My symptoms persist today nearly a quarter of a century later.

• DCoE Public Affairs 05 Jun

  @Sandrra, Thank you for sharing with us. We're sorry to hear about the difficult experiences your son and you have had. If you're interested in resources that may be helpful to your son and caregiving resources to support you, please consider contacting the DCoE Outreach Center. The center is available 24/7 at 866-966-1020, resources@dcoeoutreach.org or www.realwarriors.net/livechat.

  Also, inTransition is a voluntary program that provides behavioral health care support to service members and veterans as they move between health care systems or providers. Personal coaches assist service members during the transition period, empower them to make healthy life choices, and are available 24/7 by phone. Since PTSD falls under mental health, any service member or veteran dealing with PTSD issues are free to use this program. You can find more information at http://intransition.dcoe.mil.

• DCoE Public Affairs 05 Jun

  @Kevin, Thank you for sharing and for your service. Unfortunately, your experience is too often a common reaction and the reason why many service members and veterans worry about seeking help for mental health concerns. Although mental health-related stigma exists, the best thing you can do for yourself is to seek help. There are several effective treatments available for PTSD and a health care provider can help you find the right treatment for you. The Defense Department is continuing to work to educate people about PTSD and change military culture. We received several questions related to this on our recent blog post, "Is There an Answer to Your Mental Health Question? Ask DCoE." Check out the questions and responses from our mental health experts at www.dcoe.mil/livingblog.

• Puakiele 11 Jun

  The resources and blog topics continue to provide a wealth of information that has always been truly helpful to me. However, in response to the PTSD resource that is specifically geared towards leaders (PTSD: What Unit Leaders Need To Know) I believe that leaders (and providers) need to understand PTSD from a caregiver's perspective as well:

  For the past few years, in what seems like a never ending, consistent, uphill battle to receive nothing less than quality care, by both Army medical providers and by the very Army he serves, I have found that this topic seems to be a very difficult topic to fully comprehend for many Army mental health care providers and leaders; that by simply listening, caring, and taking the time to fully understand someone's story, can have that much of an impact on someone who is reaching out for help and it can make all the difference in world. These three things have the power to do what no amount of wallet cards, powerpoint briefings, embedded behavioral health care clinics or "check the block caring" can do.

  To the Army mental health care providers that continue to treat only the symptoms, and not the actual problem, I want you to understand that neither the answer, nor the solution, can be found in any of the bottles of pills that you continue to dole out. You also need to understand that as a caregiver, I can help you, help my Soldier. I am aware of his behaviors, know his triggers, track his medications, care for him, and ultimately, I know the care he really needs. But you have to truly LISTEN.

  For those in leadership positions, I need you to understand that you are responsible for not only your Soldiers, but their Families as well. In every decision that you make, good or bad, you are making a decision that will not only have an effect on the Soldier, it will affect the Soldier's Family as well. We, as Family members, will have to adjust accordingly and live with the outcome of your decision. So when you choose to make that decision, it is very important that you truly listen and hear what's being said by your Soldier. A judgment call should never be made simply by looking at a quick summary on a piece of paper, as those few lines will never convey a person's story. The greatest leaders I have ever known are not necessarily leaders due to rank or title bestowed on them, but they are leaders because they lead by example, and they display leadership in character, wisdom, and compassion for others.

  For those at the very top (both leaders and providers); you continue to scratch your heads, perplexed as to why Soldiers still refuse to get help or why suicide rates have not gone down. The answer is very simple and involves nothing more than listening, caring, and the compassion to be there for another individual. You also need to understand that these three factors cannot be faked, as we know the difference between someone who TRULY cares and someone who is REQUIRED to care. When there is a sincere individual that is there to help and is willing to go the extra mile for someone reaching out for help, I promise you, in the long run, it will eventually make all the difference.

• DCoE Public Affairs 12 Jun

  @Puakiele, Thank you for your heartfelt comments about the important role that families and caregivers play in the recovery process and well-being of our service members and veterans. The Defense Department recognizes that the health and well-being of our service members is intricately linked to the health and well-being of their family. Your thoughts emphasize the importance of person-to-person interaction and being heard and understood as a person with a unique set of circumstances and needs. 

  Thank you for stressing the importance of listening, caring and compassion — these are behaviors health care providers and leaders should demonstrate in their daily interactions with those whom they serve. A sincere thank you to you and other families and caregivers out there who are supporting our service members on a daily basis.