Fng: Combat Wounded & Advocate

[Lee C]

Welcome

 

[Spock]

I've seen some more substantial Introductions so here is an add-on about my experience with the Trauma Recovery Program at the new combined Walter Reed-Bethesda Nat'l Mil Med Center:

It included learning about PTSD, reviewing symptoms, identifying my triggers, group therapy, testing, CAPS scoring, individual sessions, no alcohol with random testing, meds evaluation, exercise, alcohol training, guided therapy, light therapy, yoga, journaling, art therapy, acupuncture, minor electro-stimulation therapy, exposure, and a bunch of other things I can't recall at the moment. It helped me gain valuable coping tools and address major triggers learn to deal with or avoid them. For example, a major problem was commuting/road rage (from convoys = hypervig) which I now put in a box with preparation to make it much less debilitating, irritating and distracting. That was important since I was getting into too many confrontations. Group Therapy remains my first and favorite therapy because of the feeling of comraderie.
ColA

 

[Wagon]

Haha Road rage. I've wrecked 4 cars. All road rage inspired. But have not driven for 12 years.

Sticking my nose back into that game this year.

 

[Spock]

We sat around in group and shared our best road rage stories once, had a good time laughing about some sick shit.
Too many of us hyper-pissed off sick people looking for a fight out there dealing with unaware drivers.

 

[drawingblanks]

Warriors ~ Nice site, well done! Career Military, OIF, mTBI+++++, Harassed final 12 mos by SES Civilian supervisors, Spent final 6 mos in Trauma Recovery Program @ Walter Reed, Retired last year, Still waiting on VA claim 365+, Attend Group with battle buddies that are family. Now I'm focused on being an advocate & sharing lessons learned. Too many warriors have to learn the same lessons others already suffered through mostly because priorities prevent Crats (bureaucrats) from effort & committment of support. My Goal: Network with combat wounded, prevent as many suicides & broken families as possible and educate supervisors & caregivers of wounded warriors.
<Col~A>

Very well said. I think the tragedy of it all will be Veterans will likely try to tough it out before taking measure for help. That was my Achilles heal and it ended me up at a pretty dark place.

 

[Spock]

You are right. Interesting term too...there is a book about "Achilles heal" in the books section. Hopefully someone that read it can tell us if it is used as you just decribed.

 

[Spock]

Sticking my nose back into that game this year.

I've had some good success dealing with mine, it is much less stressful. I can share some of the ways I deal with it if you're interested. It would probably make a good new thread...

 

[Spock]

Removed by ColA

 

[Spock]

From Voices of Warriors:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/voiceofwarriors

Tonight we have a great line up! The President of Battle In Distress will be on the show along with Fuzzy Manning with Link Removed. We will also be playing the song RED FLAGS by Soldier Hard with the nonprofit, REDCON-1 MUSIC GROUP (that...s made of all veterans using music as therapy). You won't want to miss tonights show!

Stay tuned, and go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/voiceofwarriors to listen. Be sure to register with BlogTalk so you can participate in the chat room!

Tonights hosts will be Gordie Harris and Katie Foley. Scott Lee from the Veterans' PTSD Project will be opening up the show with Gordie and Katie tonight. Katt from Link Removed will be in the chat room... join us!

 

[Chin Strapped]

I think it needs a few high and low ranking serving members to stand up and be counted and tell it how it is. The higher ranks suffer just as much, but it's the lowly old private who is generally ostracized by his peers. After all we all

Too true, part of the reason I had to get away from the Army.

I often wondered what it was like for higher ranks to suffer too, as so many of us look/looked up to them. I saw it with my own eyes, the frustration on senior soldiers faces when they were truly battle scared and unable to carry on.

Not sure if this is how it was for any of you big wigs?:p But I reckon that hurt...allot.

Don't know why it's showing as a reply to Zipperhead? That was back to Jimmy. DM

 

[Zipperhead]

I was about to say "I didn't say that!" but the words do have a certain truth to them.

 

[Spock]

...I often wondered what it was like for higher ranks to suffer too, as so many of us look/looked up to them. I saw it with my own eyes, the frustration on senior soldiers faces when they were truly battle scared...

I've found it has been highly beneficial in the many groups I've been in for people of all ranks to see that PTSD affects everyone, every rank, every age, every war, and that they can all share openly about it together. It helps break stigmas that they are not weaker than other service members or the Spartans, WWI warriors, WWII heroes, etc.

PTSD has no rank brother, just like jerk has no rank and PTSD can turn anyone into an irritated, isolated, angry SOB as we well know. :devil: (For the record, since I know someone :rolleyes: will try to make some odd claim, I'll be perfectly CLEAR now, that I, absolutely, positively do NOT think you are a jerk Dan. I like you! :) You are sincere. ;) I'm just borrowing your words since they provide me inspiration.)

I know of officers, even senior officers on this forum, that are here for the same reason we all are. They suffer the same beast as any of us, except of course for the Vulcans :eek: but I'll leave that to Spock to explain (BTW, why is there no one with the handle "Spock"--I may change that.) :alien:

In fact, I think it should be mandatory for all officers to be prior enlisted. Still, some troops think those officers were worse, which only proves it has nothing to do with rank, it is a personality type or observer's excuse. :whistle:

More Important:
Not sure how it works in other countries, but here in the USA; Commanders, First Sgts, CSMs, & SGMs, have an oath, a responsibility to "take care of your people first." What infuriates me and my wounded warrior battle buddies is that oath somehow gets dropped, too often, when PTSD becomes an issue. Commanders & supervisors seem to go into attack mode to drive troops out of service, like trash. We are trampled by a military industrial complex focused on preserving $$$ for weapons. I was victimized by it and it is wrong. I sat in medical centers mentoring many warriors, who were in tears because they were being victimized. :censored:

My passion is not only to help wounded warriors seek treatment and stop the suicide bomb but to educate those supervisors to see or understand what they are doing. I'm in a proactive group that is reaching out to our Senators, media, military services & other wounded warrior groups to BREAK the STIGMA and stop the nonsense. :cautious:


After spending a career in the military I saw some pretty obvious trends: (1) many of the best talent left early once they realized they could do better outside the military (2) promotions have little to do with performance & ability and more to do with who you know and where you were assigned: a.k.a ass kissing (3) most of the people in leadership positions (95% my estimate) are horrible, if not clueless supervisors of people (i.e. rank does not equate to being a good leader as you already know) and (4) most General officers avoid making decisions because they're afraid of getting in trouble (especially in the Pentagon). o_O


That is my personal short take on PTSD, senior officers, senior enlisted, and the military services. I don't have much experience with our Vet Admin (VA) yet.

I'm still recovering from the trauma of spending nearly 30 years in the military and getting treated like shit in the end as my reward for getting, of all things, "military" service-related combat injuries. :mad: