Tag Archives: PTSD

Then and now: a reflection on returning OEF/OIF veterans

Posted on by Chris

Belleruth Naparstek has a good piece at the Huffington Post about the differing climate facing returning veterans from the Iraq/Afghan conflicts and the Vietnam War 40 years ago. She comments on medical advances in the understanding/diagnosis of PTSD, the cultural shift in valuing the sacrifices made by our service men and women, and a change in the DoD’s and VA’s attitude to treating  psychological wounds.

This new group of active military in Iraq and Afghanistan knows what’s happening to them, to a much greater extent. There’s been a push to educate our troops and the general public about posttraumatic stress as well as TBI’s (traumatic brain injury), thanks to a renewed commitment to the mental health of our troops, found in both the Department of Defense and the V.A. Secretaries Gates and Shinseki have been working hard at destigmatizing mental health problems, in ways never seen before. So that’s another lesson learned from Vietnam, and no small matter. Still, career soldiers still worry a lot about stigma.

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So now that we’re learning about the new barriers to receiving help — some quite positive, by the way (Indeed, what’s wrong with not wanting to be a career patient, anyway?), I expect the V.A. will get more flexible in how it offers services. And there will hopefully be much more widespread use of self-administered guided imagery downloads — shown at multiple research sites to reduce symptoms quickly and pretty dramatically while being a pleasant and self-reinforcing experience for the listener. Not to mention inexpensive and useable even in remote locations.

We are getting so much more interest and openness to guided imagery than even a year ago, from both the DoD and the VA. These are great trends, very hopeful. I do believe we’re gonna seriously help a lot of vets.

It’s a good read with some interesting discussion going on in the comments section; check out the full article here.

Lawsuit results in possible benefits increases for veterans with PTSD

Posted on by Chris

This article in the Washington Post tells about a recent legal agreement that will result in the military reviewing the medical records of thousands of OEF/OIF veterans with PTSD that were denied benefits for the disorder.

The agreement stems from a judge’s order in a class action lawsuit originally filed by seven combat veterans. They alleged the military illegally denied benefits to those discharged, at least in part, because of the disorder during a six-year period that ended Oct. 14, 2008.

Legal notices are currently being mailed to about 4,300 veterans informing them they can “opt-in” to the lawsuit until July 24 to be part of the expedited review. Attorneys for the veterans estimate that millions of dollars could be paid to veterans under the agreement, with some veterans receiving hundreds or more dollars in increased monthly benefits.

More information on the lawsuit can be found here. For the full article click here.

For the Veteran, By a Veteran

Posted on by Chris

Minnesota NPR has a good story on Michael Mills, a member of the Minnesota National Guard who has become a local voice for the issues faced by returning OEF/OIF veterans. Mills served in Iraq, where his convoy was struck by a roadside bomb, causing him to sustain several broken bones and third degree burns on much of his body. He came back angry and depressed, but eventually came to terms with his experiences through the help of his family and a psychiatrist.

Michael Mills (right) poses with fellow veterans Jeff Butler and Bruce Billington. Photo courtesy of MPR

Michael Mills (right) poses with fellow veterans Jeff Butler and Bruce Billington. Photo courtesy of MPR

And now he’s seeking to help other veterans going through issues similar to his own. He runs a website called For the Veteran, By a Veteran, which tells his story and provides some resources for medically discharged veterans.

“I started For the Veteran for a couple of reasons but the main reason is I got tired of losing my friends to suicide,” said Mills, who fears that many vets are killing themselves because they first turn to drugs and alcohol.

Because many veterans may be ashamed to ask for help, for a Veteran aims to inform them about available government and private services.

Mills also sits on the board of Project New Hope, an organization which holds retreats for members of the military community, covering topics like money management, navigating VA resources, and anger management. The program is unique in its inclusion of a veteran’s entire family. “The VA is only able to help the soldier,” said Bruce Billington of Cross Lake, who founded Project New Hope. “We help the entire family. We try to provide resources that the VA is unable to give.” Project New Hope began in Minnesota but now hosts retreats in New York, Wisconsin, and even Canada, in addition to several locations in Minnesota.

“When I first joined the military and before me and even up till now, you’re told, ‘if you’re not bleeding, you’re not hurt,’ ” Mills said. “And that’s not really true because there is pain without the blood. There is mental pain, especially being in a combat zone.”

The struggles of female veterans

Posted on by Chris

This week in the news there were a number of articles describing the challenges faced by recent OEF/OIF female veterans.

Former Army Pvt. Margaret Ortiz holds a photo of herself from Iraq in her room at the women’s shelter in Long Beach, Calif. Image courtesy of the AP

Former Army Pvt. Margaret Ortiz holds a photo of herself from Iraq in her room at the women’s shelter in Long Beach, Calif. Image courtesy of the AP

First, the AP has written up a nice article giving some detail on the situation of female homeless veterans. Female homeless veterans face increased risks in that they are usually younger and often have children in their care. Also, in many housing programs like VA-run homeless shelters, only men are eligible to be taken in.

“People think we’re just coming out of the military and we should have our stuff together,” said Tiffany Belle, 33, a former Navy sailor who served in the Philippines after 9-11 and lives with Ortiz at the U.S. Vets program. “It gets really hard. Some people don’t know where to go, what to do.”

Next, also from the AP, is an article about the other challenges even non-homeless female veterans face. Upon coming home, male veterans are clapped on the back, have drinks bought for them at bars, and are generally welcomed into an established network of support and thanks. For female veterans, fitting back in and being warmly welcomed often isn’t so easy. Common challenges like coping with past sexual harassment, PTSD, and a lack of recognition of their service to the country can create a sense of isolation during the process of transitioning back to civilian life.

“What worries me is that women themselves still don’t see themselves as veterans, so they don’t get the care they need for post-traumatic stress syndrome or traumatic brain injury or even sexual assault, which obviously is more unique to women, so we still have a long ways to go,” said Murray, D-Wash.

Wounded Warrior Program aids civilian transition

Posted on by Chris

The AP has a great article on the efforts of the Army’s Wounded Warrior Program to help wounded veterans – particularly those with mental/psychological issues – transition to civilian life. The Wounded Warrior Program (aka AW2) focuses on enabling wounded warriors to find and maintain a successful career in the civilian workplace. To do so, AW2 has worked with employers to educate them on the realities of conditions like PTSD or TBI, letting them know that veterans with ‘invisible wounds’ “might not be able to work regular hours or might startle too easily, suffer outbursts or require time off for counseling.”

Army officials say many new veterans suffering from PTSD and brain injuries struggle to find and keep a civilian job. Advocates say many employers don’t know how to accommodate veterans with these “invisible wounds” and worry that they cannot do the job and might even “go postal” someday.

“There is a stigma attached to the invisible wounds, and it’s largely borne out of ignorance,” said David Autry, a spokesman for Disabled American Veterans. “There’s a fear that somebody will go off the deep end.”

The program has also worked with individual veterans who need assistance juggling the transition to life in the workplace and the struggle with combat-related psychological disorders. The article tells the story of Richard Martin who, with the help of AW2 and his employer, has devised a number of ingenious devices to help him cope with his PTSP and TBIs in the workplace.

Richard Martin keeps a rearview mirror on his desk to prevent co-workers from startling him in his cubicle. The walls are papered with sticky notes to help him remember things, and he wears noise-canceling headphones to keep his easily distracted mind focused.

Martin, an Army veteran who was nearly blown up on three occasions in Iraq, once feared that post-traumatic stress disorder and a brain injury would keep him from holding down a civilian job, despite years of corporate experience and an MBA.

“Here I am with this background and I’m having problems with my memory,” said Martin, a 48-year-old engineer and former National Guard major who now works for Northrop Grumman, helping to devise ways to thwart remote-detonated bombs.

The defense contractor recruited him through its hiring program for severely wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. The company consulted occupational nurses on how to help him do his job without becoming overly nervous when someone, say, drops a heavy object. Martin figured out other tricks, like the headphones, on his own.

This is a great example of veterans, military programs like AW2, and employers like Northrop Grumman working together to overcome the issues associated with military-to-civilian transitions and invisible wounds.