Hello All.....

[Raven1Bravo]

Hello all, I am new to this forum. I have been in the military for over 13 year. I do remain enlisted in the Army National Guard. Though being a weekend warrior, I have served 2 combat deployments, to both Iraq and Afghanistan. While on these tours I served in many a role, to include detainee ops, convoy security, PSD missions, Afghan police mentor, or dedicated QRF. I won't lie and say that's all I did, because I did on occasion have to fill in on tours or manning a gate, I'm only was only a specialist during both deployments, not much I can do to avoid them. My actual MOS is 13B (Field Artillery, Gun Bunny, Cannon Cocker, you choose), but I never got to do any of these things while in theater.

Let me get to my reason for joining this site. I have not been diagnosed, but I have submitted my claim for PTSD, among other things. Upon coming home, I had a hard time adjusting, and still do everytime I go away for extended periods of time. My first deployment was especially rough, my wife left me and when the day I came home, she left me with my 2 year old and took off. My second deployment was a little easier as I was some what mentally prepared for it, and had to help the soldiers in my unit that had not previously deployed. This time was also a little easier as technology had advanced (Iraq 2004, Afghanistan 2010) and people could stay in contact with loved ones.

It was not until a few years ago that I definitely noticed the struggle in which I was having. I became angry over little things that should not have mattered, or many times just felt distant. I don't have to go into every detail as I am sure most know how these things feel. It was during this time that I also noticed that many of my closest friends were going through their own dilemmas, in many ways worse that what I was. It was during this time that I started to seek information. I have helped myself by helping them. I have always been one that will do anything in my power to help people. Coming from a very broken family, my mother raised me to be a respectable adult, even though it took till I was an older adult to learn what sacrificed she mad for me. This made my friends my family. A lot of people imply this, but for me it holds very very true.

With almost being done with my degree in business, it came time for me to write my thesis. Since I am going to pursue a masters degree in psychology and try to use it to better my veteran community, I chose to write my thesis on PTSD and the military. And here is where I am requesting help. To complete my thesis, I need survey responses to back up my thesis, and I am looking for genuine results to give my research some meaning. I would like to ask you to take it if you can. Allow me to say this though, I am not some academic bullshitting for some help on his work, I am a 9th grade drop out, got a GED in Juvi, and have struggle for everything I have in life. In the military I was not some office clerk who heard the whistle of a mortar and claims to know combat. I am the guy who has picked up his friends in the middle of the night as they cry on the phone or threaten to commit suicide and drove them to the hospital or stayed with them all night. My survey questions are a bit rough and if it will stir back memories that are too hurtful, I apologize or ask you not to take it, as I do not want anyone to suffer on my account. But I do intend to use everything I learn from this in the hopes of helping. If anyone is gonna bad mouth me for asking this favor please don't, it already happened to me on a general military forum, which I was dumb enough to attempt. It actually demoralized me so much that I shut down for about a week, and fell behind in school, and I am far from being a sensitive soul.

So here is my survey if you are inclined to help me out. I do appreciate it vastly. And if anyone would like a copy when I am finished I would be happy to provide one.

 

[Raven1Bravo]

got so caught up in writing that I forgot the link to the survey, and I cant anyway... I am too new. if anyone would like to take it please message me

 

[OldDoorGunner]

(n)(n)(n):whistle::whistle::whistle::coffee::coffee::coffee:

 

[Lurch]

So here is my survey if you are inclined to help me out.

Sniff, sniff, sniff....smells fishy... Hmmmm...do I feel incoming? 75% probability!

 

[Raven1Bravo]

Honestly what's fishy about it? I picked the subject because it was something I could relate to and hopefully do some good in the future with. I am not trying to scam anyone into anything, and the whole survey is conridential. Also I didn't even get to post the link anyway.

 

[atilla]

Honestly Raven1Bravo we've had people come here before wanting to do surveys, thesis, what ever. I don't doubt your service or your story, but this place is to help combat vets, not to be involved in someones thesis. No disrespect to you sgt. but this isn't the place for that. If you need to vent, miss the company of Brothers and sisters, then this is that place. We don't do surveys, but weare here to help each other calm the beast down a bit. Sorry Brother that's the way it is..Peace.

 

[Raven1Bravo]

Thanks atilla, that was a perfect response and all I needed to hear. I look forward to remaining a part of the community.

 

[JarHed]

Hey RB

If you want to create a survey to ask vets here questions of any kind it's best to run that by the main Admin here, Anthony.

I have to agree as well that you don't start out in a new place by posting a survey to people that don't know who you are. I can't tell you how many times I've heard just exactly what you've said and those people turned out to be trolls and spammers. That kind of thing will get you banned quickly.

Think of how you would be received by a entering into a new platoon and starting out by pulling out a survey for people to answer. If you want to get to know people here, give it time. Nix on the survey stuff, no one's gonna' take it.

JarHed

 

[combatgoldfish]

Between the full name being posted and the survey, I'm at a loss for words.

 

[Friday]

Full names are common with Grad students, and required when posting surveys for legit academic research (ever come across a survey online without full names, institution name and contact info, department heads/advisors, addresses & phone numbers... And it's a company doing market research or writer wanting shit for an article, not academic or medical).

The sister-site www.myptsd.com has a whole section for researchers to post shit on. Whether they have PTSD or not. It's pretty interesting tabbing through it. Some of them are put together really well, a lot look like they were written by monkeys with a cocaine problem.

 

[Lee C]

Welcome from the UK

 

[LIllabeth]

Raven1Bravo,
I applaud your enthusiasm for the work your feel strongly compelled to do- you seem very dedicated to finding a way to uses your own experiences to help others and that is laudable.
As someone who has advanced degrees, a word of caution...... Perhaps a more subtle approach when first contacting established groups, especially when you reach out to the membership prior to gaining approval from the administration. Administration first, then membership, else you risk being banned from your data source or have them turn hostile towards you. One should never belong to a group from which they solicit data, it makes the data circumspect and open to challenge. The researcher must be clearly fish or fowl, not a hybrid mythical fence-sitting creature.
My advice would be for you to use this forum for your own well being, ask to have this thread removed and start again. Let us come to know you, and support you and your journey with PTSD. Work with the VA for your study, I am not an American so I am unsure if they can assist you but if you have an equivalent to the Royal Canadian Legion (maybe someone can jump in here) that would be your best bet.
I am not lecturing you or jumping down your throat here, just offering my advice