The Importance of Accountability

Jessie is a Vietnam veteran who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Jessie has been married 3 times and is presently married to his 4th wife Lisa. Jessie stated that once he returned from Vietnam his anger was way worse than it was before his deployment. Jessie came to see me because of his PTSD on Lisa’s demand.  Lisa had threatened to leave him if he didn’t get the help he needed for his issues. Lisa had seen Jessie’s anger and fears him when he was drinking.  Lisa did not know what had happened with his prior relationships but after a while she discovered his temper, she put 2 and 2 together.

Jessie had been struggling for 40 years since Vietnam, some of his family made excuses for him acting the way he was with his temper, others gave him a pass for his actions. Jessie had a lot of PTSD signs, but no one knew what they were seeing at the time. They just chalked it up to Jessie being Jessie. He has been unable to go into a crowd for years, he gets antsy and short with people, sometimes to the point of confrontation. He has nightmares, gets triggered by smells, sounds, and certain situations while driving. His hyper vigilance is legendary to those who know him.

Once I started digging into his past, I found out that Jessie had a horrific childhood background. Jessie was raised by a violent alcoholic father who beat Jessie, his mother, and siblings at every turn. Jessie had a low draft number, so he decided to join the Navy before he was drafted. He joined hoping to get away from his alcoholic father and the turmoil at home. Jessie did what so many others have done in the past, joining the military to escape their home situation. Jessie went into the Navy strait out of high school thinking he would be on a ship; little did he know he would become a Seabee assigned to a ground unit at Cam Ranh Vietnam. We see a lot of people who volunteer for the military to escape a domestic violence or violent neighborhood situation. These folks are often more susceptible to PTSD because they come in with a traumatic background. Some come into the military with PTSD or the PTSD “seed” increasing their chance of getting PTSD or making it worse. It appears that is what happened to Jessie.  

Jessie had been pulled over multiple times for driving under the influence (DUI). He was able to escape the penalties for a DUI for years, but once the crackdown on DUI’s took place led by the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) campaign, he had gotten two. Jessie did some jail time for his DUI and continued to struggle with his drinking. His drinking keeps causing him problems and has affected his relationship with Lisa. Jessie struggled to hold down a job because if his temper, drinking, and inability to do certain tasks. He could not be in crowds or work in confined spaces. Jessie had a good work ethic and skills he learned as a Seabee, so he started his own business. He worked doing odd jobs, being a handy man, and whatever was needed for years while making a decent living doing it. 

One night, Jessie crossed the line and hit Lisa in a drunken rage. Lisa laid down the law with him. Lisa flat out told him if he did not get help, she was leaving. Jessie was 70 years old and could not see himself being alone, so he promised to get help. Lisa explained to Jessie and me in their initial session that she understood his PTSD played a part in his actions, and she would stay if he got help. Lisa had forced Jessie to make the needed changes. That’s how Jessie ended up in my office  

It took Jessie over 40 years and a wife that supported him, loved him, and held him accountable for his actions to get the help he needed. Lisa had decided that she was unwilling to let Jessie continue to blame his PTSD for his actions. Lisa decided to make Jessie take responsibility for his actions. Jessie appears to be headed down the right path. At 71 years old he is finally able to live the quiet life without drama and the constant battles in his head, and Lisa is still with him.  

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For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.

Vets Continue to Support Each Other

I was at the LA book fair and talking to a couple of fellow veteran authors about what we miss about the military. Some said they missed the traveling, others missed the friendships, while others miss the structure, but all of us agreed that we miss most is the comradery. Having the ability to be around others who have been in similar situations is irreplaceable. We all understand each other; we can joke around and pick on each other and display our dark sense of humor without being judged. One of the biggest things we have in common is having to adapt quickly to new situations, including dealing with people we do not know. For the most part we were all assigned to places that were away from our home towns. We also had to leave our families for the unknown. We have all been placed in the same boat at one time or another. We were forced to move away from family, high school friends, and acquaintances. All military members have been sent into a situation where we were ordered to a new environment or situation where we knew no one. That is what we all had in common, we had to find a way to adapt to the new environment and depend on strangers. Those strangers become the ones we trusted, even though we came from a different race, or background, we all needed to place our biases aside to reach a common goal… the mission.

When we were “home” we had our high school friends and family members to help with us with what we needed to get done. When we joined the military, we lost the help from those relationships we have fostered throughout our lives. We struggled to relate to civilian classmates and friends because time passed and we changed because the military changed who we were, we struggled to relate to our civilian friends. Those friends and family were hundreds if not thousands of miles away and often had a different outlook on life than we had. We had become accustomed to the loss of relationships as we moved on from assignment to assignment, lost friends to combat and suicide. We became hardened to the realities of life and our attitude displayed the change. The idea of moving on became our norm as we went forward with our duty.  

As we moved on to new assignments, we would not know anyone. We would get to our new assignment nervous of what we were getting into. For the most part we would arrive with no friends, family, feeling alone and vulnerable. What we didn’t realize was there were a lot of people there who have been in the same situation and were willing to help. They often would volunteer to help you because they have been there too. They soon become your family of choice, those you depend on throughout your tour. They were there to help you make the transition, often this carried over to the spouses.  

Those of us who were married always had the single folks at our house. Especially during the holidays, they were hard on everyone, especially the single folks. Food was always the key to making things work. The single folks had few chances to get home cooked meals. They would visit and spend the holidays and birthdays with their family of choice. Get togethers were common and bonds were made. Cookouts became the norm with multiple families getting together with their kids and the single troops from the barracks. As we moved from assignment to assignment or went back “home” we still remember the support we had while in the military and we missed it.   

At the book fair as we discussed what we missed, it was evident that the bond we have between all of us was strong because we have all been in the same situations at one time or another. It was true, we were all at the book fair to promote our books, but we were also there to support each other. We help each other develop as authors and give constructive criticism. We read each other’s work; we share our work with each other. We toss around ideas and ask questions. We feel safe with each other because it is in our DNA to help each other thrive. Everyone who comes in is welcomed and accepted. In our group we have all generations of veterans from Vietnam to present, we have veteran family members including spouses, children, and brothers and sisters of veterans. We all have connections to the military, and it is nice to feel safe. The group is about writing, but it is also about getting back the relationships we lost once we separated from the military. We usually meet once a month to support each other and float ideas for new books or screenplays. I welcome all veterans and their families to come and check it out. You do not need to be a student at the college. If you have ever thought about writing a book or screen play, we can help you. Hope to see you there.

For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.

Veterans Are Different in the Workplace

I had Kevin in my office last week and he was worried about being fired from his job. Kevin had two deployments to Iraq and understood the importance of doing things right and taking responsibility. Kevin explained how he missed something that could cost him his job and the company a lot of money. Kevin took responsibility and made no excuses just like a good soldier. He was doing what many veterans do, take responsibility for your mistakes. He was frustrated that others with more experience and knowledge missed it too, but their head was not on the chopping block. The difference, Kevin took responsibility for missing it, the other two threw him under the bus making him the fall guy even though they were just as, or more responsible than Kevin. This is not the first time I have heard of this happening, especially with the troops who just separated and have not adjusted. Things are just different in the “real world” than the military, out here people fends for themselves and don’t care what happens to others.  So often civilians don’t take responsibility for their actions and let others take the fall for their mistakes.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there are military members and veterans who are quick to throw people under the buss to save their butts, been there seen that… multiple times. The difference is, in the military those who save their butts at the expense of others are not trusted and shunned in their military unit. Their lack of loyalty follows them throughout their military service.  I also know there are civilians who have integrity and take responsibility for their mistakes, and they deserve to be trusted. Where military veterans fail is expecting civilians to have the same values as their military family. Veterans need to manage their expectations when it comes to civilian co-workers or civilians in general. Veterans want civilians to think and respond to situations like them, the problem is they can’t. Most civilians have not had to protect each other at all cost like military veterans have. What most civilians have been taught is self-preservation at all costs.

In Kevin’s case his co-workers attitude was, Kevin took the blame, why should I get in trouble too? Kevin’s co-workers rationalize their actions to make themselves feel better believing they had no responsibility in catching the issue even though they had more experience and knowledge. If Kevin’s co-workers took responsibility Kevin might be given the benefit of doubt and be able to keep his job. Instead the others involved will get off scot-free. Many veterans tend to take responsibility for their actions, its not the way the civilian world works, it’s an “I’m in it for myself” mentality. There are some in the civilian community that have the same loyalty and integrity as veterans do, and they deserve to be trusted. It is important that veterans know who they can trust and adapt to in their environment and not expect others to change. Just learn who you can and can’t trust.  

Veterans should not give up their integrity, they need to be aware of each situation and respond accordingly. That blind loyalty they had to their military family is hard to find among civilians and often does not work in the civilian environment. There are a lot of differences between civilians and veteran’s in society, the lack of integrity is a major problem for military veterans once they embark on a new phase of life. In Kevin’s situation, he stood up and took responsibility for his mistakes believing his co-workers would follow suit, they didn’t, now he’s holding the bag and possibly losing his job because he had integrity. What Kevin is learning the hard way is integrity is not valued as a civilian, being honest is a flaw and viewed as a weakness to be exploited by those with less character. We need to ask ourselves, what is this teaching society and our children. The days of my mentor saying to me “at the end of the day, all a man has is his word” are gone. I challenge veterans to hold on to their integrity and be careful who you fall on your sword for. Not everyone deserves it.

For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.

Female Veterans’ Struggles can be Different when Re-integrating

As a clinician, I have worked with a lot of female veterans. One of the biggest themes I see from them are the struggles they have when they get out. Females are not seen as warriors in our society, but I beg to differ. I know a lot of strong females who threaten the ego of some men, especially men in the military, and they can pay the price. Males run military and always have. In 1973 females made up 2% of enlisted and 8% of officers. Now female veterans make up 16% of enlisted and 18% of officers. I constantly hear people say females have made it in the military, there are female generals, and female senior Non-Commissioned officers (NCO’s). Some females who make rank do so because they don’t maintain their boundaries where they should. They work hard to try and get into the “good ol’ boys club”, but they never will be let in by a lot of male military members or veterans.  Some high ranking female NCO’s and officers let things slide that shouldn’t, believe it is ok to be talked down too, are ok with inappropriate comments, and look the other way when there is coercion or sexual harassment. Often the way female veterans are treated while in the military carry forward once they become civilians.  

In a recent survey, just over 60% of females indicated that their military service negatively affected their mental health, most often this is negativity tied to military sexual trauma (MST). The survey also showed that female veterans have a higher rate of depression than non-veteran females. The worst part is female veterans have a 250% higher suicide rate than civilian women. So many female veterans struggle once they get out because of the shame and guilt associated with sexual trauma, and are the largest growing segment of homeless veterans. I have talked to a lot of female veterans who did not tell people they were in the military because they feared those they told will know, or believe that they were sexually assaulted or raped. Not only does MST play a part in why women don't say they were in the military, a lot of men who never served are embarrassed they did not serve and a female did.   

This embarrassment men hold is especially true when it comes to job interviews. Multiple female veterans have told me they did not disclose their military service during a job interview with a man. Female veterans also have said that when they interview with women they feel they are treated differently by the women who are doing the hiring if they know they served in the military. I've also been told by female veterans that they steer clear of the veteran’s service organizations (VSO's) because they're only allowed one foot into the good old boys club. Another thing female veterans must struggle with when around male veterans is fearing that a particular male veteran could have easily been a perpetrator while serving in the military making them feel uncomfortable.  

Another issue female veterans deal with is the stereotypes that still exist that women who served in the military are lesbians. Of course, this is not true but to many civilians, especially women and civilians they can't understand why a woman would want to go in such a male-dominated, testosterone filled career. It is also well known that the Veterans Administration (VA) offers less to female veterans than their male counterparts. Only recently has the VA started offering services specifically for female veterans. At the Loma Linda VA, there is a specific clinic set up just for female veterans. This is a huge improvement over the past but they're still is a lot that needs to be done.  

As you can tell by some of the instances discussed, female veterans can have a hard time reintegrating back into the civilian community. It is a shame that female veterans must endure what they do. Female veterans, so often don't feel safe either in the military or the civilian community. They have earned the same respect male veterans have, please give them the respect they have earned.  

For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.

Recent Events Trigger Some Veterans

John came to session this week and was visibly shaken. John served 2 tours in Iraq and has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He was concerned for himself and his children because of the recent mass shootings. Being worried about the mass shootings happening to him might sound dramatic or his thoughts are over the top, but when you are a person of color like John, I believe it feels different. John is a Hispanic male with a wife 3 and children, and because of recent events, his PTSD has consumed him. John disclosed that he has started to look at things differently in the United States recently and is considering taking his family out of the country because of how bad things are getting, and he is not alone.    

Many of my clients, both veterans and civilians, are worried. Is their fear justified? We just need to look 30 miles down the road to San Bernardino to know it can happen here. The mass shootings in El Paso TX and Dayton OH has unforeseen consequences on our country and culture. I have spent most of my recent sessions reassuring my clients that we’ll be OK. I assure them that we, as a country, have survived worse and will continue to survive and prosper. There’s plenty of blame to go around for the toxic environment. But what concerns me is the impact on those who need mental health help but refuse to get it for fear they will lose their rights.

Some people say the media fuels the fire, others say it is the President, while others blame Congress. It’s not as simple as pointing fingers at each other. It’s not just one entity that causes the problem, it’s a combination of things both big and small. People say, its crazy people doing the shootings no, they’re not all crazy, calculated… but not crazy. The El Paso shooter traveled 8 hours to shoot “Mexicans”, most “crazy people” are not that organized, is it possible he is crazy? … of course, it is, but not likely. It is not crazy people who do the shootings, it is those with weak minds that allow others to whip them into a frenzy. By saying it is crazy people doing the shootings I can see, especially in the veteran community, where someone with PTSD will be scared to get help for fear of losing their rights. I get asked all the time, what is going into my VA records, are you telling them everything I say? The answer is no unless they tell me they are going to kill themselves, others, or have committed child or elder abuse. Other than these cases confidentiality takes precedence. When they are with me, I can tell if someone has malice or they threaten anyone. Its beneficial for them to seek help because as a trained professional I am better suited to see a problem if there is one. So, trying to take weapons from “crazy people” is not the good answer… describe crazy? The “crazy people” will not come to therapy creating a bigger problem.

I have been telling my clients that their PTSD gives them the upper hand in a shooting situation. Their hyper vigilance keeps them aware. They are safer because of their PTSD and they need to use it to their advantage for themselves and their families.  

The shootings have a lot of pieces to it. It’s not the guns alone. It’s not that people are crazy. It’s not the video games. It’s not the schools, or bad parenting. It is a combination of the above. People need to understand there is no easy answers and causing people with PTSD more anguish than needed is problematic. Blaming the issues on “crazy people” does not help. The situation is more complex than others want to admit. There are no quick fixes. This is a cultural thing. With the short attention span and limited intellectual functioning of some Americans, we cannot see the details, we let the politicians and pundits tell us what to think instead of thinking for ourselves. For veterans, you can use your training to protect yourself and your family. You as a military veteran are more capable of dealing with the situation than the average citizen. In this case PTSD can be your friend in the right circumstances. 

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For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.

The Importance of Accountability

Jessie is a Vietnam veteran who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Jessie has been married 3 times and is presently married to his 4th wife Lisa. Jessie stated that once he returned from Vietnam his anger was way worse than it was before his deployment. Jessie came to see me because of his PTSD on Lisa’s demand.  Lisa had threatened to leave him if he didn’t get the help he needed for his issues. Lisa had seen Jessie’s anger and fears him when he was drinking.  Lisa did not know what had happened with his prior relationships but after a while she discovered his temper, she put 2 and 2 together.

Jessie had been struggling for 40 years since Vietnam, some of his family made excuses for him acting the way he was with his temper, others gave him a pass for his actions. Jessie had a lot of PTSD signs, but no one knew what they were seeing at the time. They just chalked it up to Jessie being Jessie. He has been unable to go into a crowd for years, he gets antsy and short with people, sometimes to the point of confrontation. He has nightmares, gets triggered by smells, sounds, and certain situations while driving. His hyper vigilance is legendary to those who know him.

Once I started digging into his past, I found out that Jessie had a horrific childhood background. Jessie was raised by a violent alcoholic father who beat Jessie, his mother, and siblings at every turn. Jessie had a low draft number, so he decided to join the Navy before he was drafted. He joined hoping to get away from his alcoholic father and the turmoil at home. Jessie did what so many others have done in the past, joining the military to escape their home situation. Jessie went into the Navy strait out of high school thinking he would be on a ship; little did he know he would become a Seabee assigned to a ground unit at Cam Ranh Vietnam. We see a lot of people who volunteer for the military to escape a domestic violence or violent neighborhood situation. These folks are often more susceptible to PTSD because they come in with a traumatic background. Some come into the military with PTSD or the PTSD “seed” increasing their chance of getting PTSD or making it worse. It appears that is what happened to Jessie.  

Jessie had been pulled over multiple times for driving under the influence (DUI). He was able to escape the penalties for a DUI for years, but once the crackdown on DUI’s took place led by the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) campaign, he had gotten two. Jessie did some jail time for his DUI and continued to struggle with his drinking. His drinking keeps causing him problems and has affected his relationship with Lisa. Jessie struggled to hold down a job because if his temper, drinking, and inability to do certain tasks. He could not be in crowds or work in confined spaces. Jessie had a good work ethic and skills he learned as a Seabee, so he started his own business. He worked doing odd jobs, being a handy man, and whatever was needed for years while making a decent living doing it. 

One night, Jessie crossed the line and hit Lisa in a drunken rage. Lisa laid down the law with him. Lisa flat out told him if he did not get help, she was leaving. Jessie was 70 years old and could not see himself being alone, so he promised to get help. Lisa explained to Jessie and me in their initial session that she understood his PTSD played a part in his actions, and she would stay if he got help. Lisa had forced Jessie to make the needed changes. That’s how Jessie ended up in my office  

It took Jessie over 40 years and a wife that supported him, loved him, and held him accountable for his actions to get the help he needed. Lisa had decided that she was unwilling to let Jessie continue to blame his PTSD for his actions. Lisa decided to make Jessie take responsibility for his actions. Jessie appears to be headed down the right path. At 71 years old he is finally able to live the quiet life without drama and the constant battles in his head, and Lisa is still with him.  

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For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.

Happy Veterans Day

A little history lesson for those who don’t know. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. It took until 1926 for congress to pass a resolution for the United States to have an annual observance beginning in 1938. In 1954, President Eisenhower officially changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day. The Congress being unable to keep their hands off anything, passed the Uniform Holiday Bill in 1968, changing the celebration of Veterans Day from the 11th of November to the fourth Monday of October. This did not go into effect until 1971 but was short lived. In 1975, President Ford changed Veteran’s Day back to Nov. 11th due to the historical significance of the date. Veterans Day pay’s tribute to all veterans, living or dead, but it is especially dedicated to living veterans who honorably served their country during war or peace time.

One of the issues I keep running into is that veterans are minimizing their military service. Justin was a Marine who served during peacetime and continually downgrades his service as a Marine. Justin spent his entire time in the military working at a headquarters unit where he didn't have to go into the field like most Marines are accustomed to doing. From talking to Justin, he feels he shouldn't even be called a Marine because he did not endure the training and hardships that come from being a Marine. Justin was in during Desert Storm and was sent from California to the East Coast to await orders to go to Desert Storm. For various reasons that was not in Justin’s control, his unit wasn't sent to the Middle East. When I suggested to Justin that he give himself more credit, if for nothing more than going through the Marine Corps boot camp, he discounted that too. From what I'm seeing by talking to veterans, Justin’s not the only veteran discounting their service.

Danny is a veteran who didn’t serve in combat or in theatre during war. Danny spent his entire hitch in the Army stationed in Germany. Danny was in the Army during Vietnam and feels his service is “less than” because he did not serve in Vietnam. Danny didn’t go to Vietnam because of a decision made by someone else, not him, and he still struggles with accepting that. He signed on the line just like everyone else who entered the military and was required to follow orders. Danny deserves, and has earned veteran status and the benefits that go with that honor. He continually talks down his time in the Army and has guilt because he had it easy in Germany while others were being killed in Vietnam. I hear time and time again from non-combat veterans that they don't feel they deserve to be recognized at veteran’s events.

Since its Veterans Day I would like everyone who has ever served in the military and worn the uniform of this country to take pride in a job well done to stand and take credit for their service. To all veterans, please take the time and enjoy your day as a veteran. Proudly wear your military clothing or paraphernalia in support of your service. I have given this lecture multiple times to Justin and Danny. I hope they will take the credit that they have earned and stand proud this Veterans Day if anyone asks “are you a veteran”. To all veterans, thank you for your service and I hope you enjoy your day and get all of the benefits you have earned.

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For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.

Vets Continue to Support Each Other

I was at the LA book fair and talking to a couple of fellow veteran authors about what we miss about the military. Some said they missed the traveling, others missed the friendships, while others miss the structure, but all of us agreed that we miss most is the comradery. Having the ability to be around others who have been in similar situations is irreplaceable. We all understand each other; we can joke around and pick on each other and display our dark sense of humor without being judged. One of the biggest things we have in common is having to adapt quickly to new situations, including dealing with people we do not know. For the most part we were all assigned to places that were away from our home towns. We also had to leave our families for the unknown. We have all been placed in the same boat at one time or another. We were forced to move away from family, high school friends, and acquaintances. All military members have been sent into a situation where we were ordered to a new environment or situation where we knew no one. That is what we all had in common, we had to find a way to adapt to the new environment and depend on strangers. Those strangers become the ones we trusted, even though we came from a different race, or background, we all needed to place our biases aside to reach a common goal… the mission.

When we were “home” we had our high school friends and family members to help with us with what we needed to get done. When we joined the military, we lost the help from those relationships we have fostered throughout our lives. We struggled to relate to civilian classmates and friends because time passed and we changed because the military changed who we were, we struggled to relate to our civilian friends. Those friends and family were hundreds if not thousands of miles away and often had a different outlook on life than we had. We had become accustomed to the loss of relationships as we moved on from assignment to assignment, lost friends to combat and suicide. We became hardened to the realities of life and our attitude displayed the change. The idea of moving on became our norm as we went forward with our duty.  

As we moved on to new assignments, we would not know anyone. We would get to our new assignment nervous of what we were getting into. For the most part we would arrive with no friends, family, feeling alone and vulnerable. What we didn’t realize was there were a lot of people there who have been in the same situation and were willing to help. They often would volunteer to help you because they have been there too. They soon become your family of choice, those you depend on throughout your tour. They were there to help you make the transition, often this carried over to the spouses.  

Those of us who were married always had the single folks at our house. Especially during the holidays, they were hard on everyone, especially the single folks. Food was always the key to making things work. The single folks had few chances to get home cooked meals. They would visit and spend the holidays and birthdays with their family of choice. Get togethers were common and bonds were made. Cookouts became the norm with multiple families getting together with their kids and the single troops from the barracks. As we moved from assignment to assignment or went back “home” we still remember the support we had while in the military and we missed it.   

At the book fair as we discussed what we missed, it was evident that the bond we have between all of us was strong because we have all been in the same situations at one time or another. It was true, we were all at the book fair to promote our books, but we were also there to support each other. We help each other develop as authors and give constructive criticism. We read each other’s work; we share our work with each other. We toss around ideas and ask questions. We feel safe with each other because it is in our DNA to help each other thrive. Everyone who comes in is welcomed and accepted. In our group we have all generations of veterans from Vietnam to present, we have veteran family members including spouses, children, and brothers and sisters of veterans. We all have connections to the military, and it is nice to feel safe. The group is about writing, but it is also about getting back the relationships we lost once we separated from the military. We usually meet once a month to support each other and float ideas for new books or screenplays. I welcome all veterans and their families to come and check it out. You do not need to be a student at the college. If you have ever thought about writing a book or screen play, we can help you. Hope to see you there.

For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.