Veterans Continue to Serve

Frank graduated from high school when he was 18 and didn’t know what to do, so he had made the decision to join the Army and become a paratrooper.  During his time he discovered the importance of leadership and taking care of the troops, something that would follow him throughout his life. After attaining the grade of Staff Sergeant (E-6) Frank made the decision to leave the Army. He had bigger plans for his life. He enrolled in college and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in computer information systems. But like few veterans who separate, he went back in the Army as an infantry officer. He later continued his education receiving his MBA to help him advance in his military career. As he rose in the ranks he was finally in the position to make a big difference. By having the experience of being an enlisted soldier he understood the need and importance for training, this is where he excelled.

Once Frank became the commander of a brigade he focused on training soldiers for the changing battlefield. Frank had the task of getting our troops ready to successfully run convoys in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was in charge of developing training for the post 9-11 era Army, a huge task to say the least. As he developed this training his goal was to save lives and do his part at getting the soldiers safely home. During the war Frank spent time in theatre helping train the Iraqi Army. The tactics he helped develop had now become an important part of the training in the Army and other Army’s in the world. True to Army form Frank was moved into a position where he   deployed to Afghanistan where he served as the leader of the US Army’s intelligence for that country. Frank retired from the Army in 2013 after 38 years of military service and began his civilian life.

Like most veterans Frank has a heart for helping veterans. He now runs the San Bernardino County Department of Veteran’s affairs. He took the reins from one of the most respected members of the county. In this position Frank has 9 veteran representatives and several office staff who help San Bernardino county veterans apply for their benefits among other duties in the largest county in the nation, another huge undertaking.

In fiscal year 2014 the San Bernardino County Department of Veteran’s affairs Franks office has helped Veterans and their families navigate the system and secure 4.8 million dollars in tuition waivers for San Bernardino county residents for college. The county Veterans Department also helps with securing earned benefits for veterans, helping them work through the red tape of the Veterans Administration’s system. The department has helped find housing for 166 homelessness veterans this year working with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement program HOPE team. The deputies in this program seek out homeless veterans and send them to the county veterans department for help. The help does not stop there, the office helps those of the past who have fallen. They have helped get headstones for 3 veterans buried without one, and acts on behalf of veterans who have passed without families among other issues. While talking to Frank we discussed benefits that I was unaware of, one included low income pensions from the VA for eligible veterans. The biggest program Franks department offers is the veteran ID program. This ID allows veterans to receive a 10% discount at any business that displays the County of San Bernardino Veteran – Friendly Business sticker in their window.

Frank is not alone, he is like many veterans and continue to serve the community in many ways. A majority of non-profits that cater to veterans are controlled by veterans themselves. Veterans are trained and taught to leave “no one behind”. We are there for each other, and many veterans and their families continue to serve our veteran brothers, sisters, and community once they get out. At times it is just one veteran neighbor helping their veteran neighbor navigate the VA system. We help each other. To those veterans who are out there hidden in the background, please come forward and grace us with your wisdom and knowledge. With so many veterans in the United States struggling to survive we need all hands on deck. Check your local community to see if there are veteran programs available and get the word out about their existence.  

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 Trauma of Following Orders

A colleague and I were discussing one of his veteran clients.  My colleague is a Vietnam Era veteran and I am a Desert Storm veteran and we often consult with each other about our cases. His client William, is a Vietnam Veteran in failing health. I had met William through another veterans program and referred him to my colleague because I felt he would be a better fit. Due to his failing health William is starting to look back at his life and psychologically preparing for his passing. Like many Vietnam veterans William is struggling with what he had to do in Vietnam to survive. The Vietnam battlefield used civilians, women and children to carry out some of their attacks. As a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine you had no idea who your enemy was. All you could do is make instant life or death decisions, follow orders, and hope you are doing the right thing.  

When William’s unit entered a village in Vietnam, they were ordered to destroy the village and kill or capture anyone who was there, including women and children. Military intelligence had informed his commanding officer (CO) that the village was a haven for Viet-Cong and needed to be destroyed. Williams platoon completed their mission and proceeded to kill those who refused to surrender, and burned the village to the ground. What was ordered and accepted by his superior’s is something William would live with the rest of his life. Since the age of 19 he has spent most of his life self-medicating with drugs and alcohol trying to forget the action he had to take in that village. He wonders how he could go to heaven after killing so many people.

William is suffering from what is called moral injury. Moral injury is a relatively new term, but its pain is as old as war. It is a negative self-judgment based on having transgressed core moral beliefs, values or on feeling they possess. The term is described as “the psychological burden of killing and the betrayal of leaders”. Moral Injury appears to be a slow burn that takes time to sink in. The victim of moral injury needs to accept moral reasoning, evaluate behavior, experience empathy, and create a coherent memory narrative. Many times, soldiers are placed in no win situations by their leadership and told they must betray there since of “what’s right”. These actions cause confusion concerning one’s morality because they knew it was wrong, but were told by your superiors its ok. For some it takes minutes, for others it takes years to feel the sadness or sorrow of not following your moral beliefs. Veterans try to suppress their moral injury and some succeed through the use of drugs and alcohol. Others work hard to support their families and place their moral injury on the back burner, they are doing what is moral, providing for their family and working.  

A common theme is veterans feel nothing can prepare you for what war is really like. To some when they return home it feels like they have lost their soul. It is tough when society states, thou shall not kill, and military states thou better kill, be killed, or suffer the shame of not trying. Many have endured the moral pain of driving past wounded women and children and not stopping for help because of orders, having to shoot civilians because you don’t know who your enemies are, killing families because of one enemy sympathizer, or killing someone over anger because they killed or shot your comrade. There appears to be no end, the symptoms include shame, survivor guilt, depression, despair, addiction, distrust, anger, a need to make amends and the loss of a desire to live. In war military members have to follow orders without question, and at times those orders shake our moral beliefs.

Moral injury is not something that can be cured by medication. The restructuring of their moral identify and meaning is the key. Seeking help from clinicians and chaplains is the first step. What it takes is the support of a caring non-judgmental community who can find a way for veterans to forgive themselves. Our communities need to understand the war doesn’t end when our troops return home, it is just the beginning of their battles. Some Vietnam veterans are still dealing with this issue 40 plus years later. We now have a new generation of troops who will be facing the same issues. In the future moral injury is going to explain why some veterans suffer. Some feel moral injury is one of the primary factors in military suicide rates. The key is for friends and families to be on the lookout and get them the help they deserve. There is hope, the VA is funding a 4 year study on moral injury in Marines and there are numerous counseling options for veterans and their families.  

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.

What Has Happened to My Tri-Care

When I retired from the Air Force in 2004 I was excited. I did not need a job that required medical insurance for my family and myself. I had Tri-Care, at the time one of the best insurance policies you could have. The 20 years I spent in the Air Force and having medical insurance allowed us to have our own business. I tell people all the time, I did what I had to, 20 years in the Air Force, so I could do what I wanted to when I retired from the Air Force. I decided after retirement that I wanted to go to college, get my degree, and become a licensed mental health clinician to help veterans and their families work through their issues brought on by their service to our country. Because of being retired from the USAF and earning Tri-Care, my wife who is a licensed psychologist and veteran also, have succeeded in reaching our goals of having our own business as mental health professionals.  

As we all know, a 20-year Non-Commissioned Officer’s (NCO) retirement does not allow someone to make a living. The reasons I became a licensed mental health therapist was to help veterans who slip through the cracks in the Veterans Administration (VA) mental health system, and take Tri-Care insurance to help Active Duty, veterans, and their families who are struggling. What I found when researching the possibility of taking Tri-Care is how much they have changed since I retired in 2004. They are not the Tri-Care I retired with, it appears they have changed, but not for the better. There are multiple doctors that have stopped taking Tri-Care because of low rates and slow payments. I understand, it’s hard to run a business with the “check in the mail” and not in the bank.   

As I was doing research I discovered Tri-Care is pressuring its mental health professionals to take a 30% cut in their pay. Tri-care payments to providers were already lower than most insurance companies and now they want to pay less. After considering taking Tri-Care we found they limit the number of mental health providers in areas. This appears to limit the usage of benefits by veterans and their families to improve their profits. This is going to limit the amount of mental health professionals, including my wife and I, who accept tri-care insurance even if we could get on their list of providers and agree to less compensation.

One thing Obamacare showed us is that insurances are not going to forsake their profits for someone’s life and health. There are no government “death panels” as suggested, however, there appears to be quasi-death panel by the insurance companies. People did not want the government to make life and death decisions, but it appears the profit driven insurance companies are by limiting care for the sake of profit.

With limiting access to mental health services Tri-care is not helping the veteran suicide rate everyone appears to be upset about. I am concerned about Tri-Care benefits because it effects my military family who has served with distinction. If a psychologist or mental health professional quits Tri-Care, which I cannot blame them, will the veteran need to get another mental health professional who is less qualified and willing to take a 30% cut in compensation? It is difficult enough for mental health professionals to build a rapport with veterans and their families. Mental health professionals are not interchangeable like surgical doctors are, once someone steps outside their comfort zone to get mental health services, changing clinicians is a set back to the client and often ends up creating a larger issue for them. Is that what you want in a therapist? someone who is the “lowest bidder”, most veterans have seen the quality of the lowest bidder’s product while serving, veterans and their families deserve better.

I have already seen where Tri-Care has stepped outside the mental health field to get their needs met for psychotropic medications. In one case Tri-Care has listed a pediatrician on their webpage as a psychiatrist. A pediatrician is not qualified to make decisions for mental health patients. For those who don’t know a psychiatrist is a medical doctor with an extra 2 years of mental health studies. Is this their new attitude, accept unqualified doctors to meet their needs because they can pay them less? A mental health career is tough enough already, for Tri-care to be cutting clinicians fees is unacceptable. Mental health professionals are already paid less than most other professionals. Cutting their compensation creates a lot of issues and don’t help. We all know what the suicide rate is for veterans, this is another slap in the face to those who can help prevent veteran’s suicides to save money and grow profits. We have earned and deserve better!

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.

To make a mental health appointment we can be contacted at

Vital Experiences : 760-938-5240                                                                                                                                   

Veterans Using College to Compete for Jobs

A veteran getting a job when they separate from the military is imperative to their wellbeing. Where the job prospects are improving, veteran’s unemployment is still a problem. There are surveys that state 70% of employer’s steer clear of veterans for fear of PTSD or the veteran acting like they are in “Boot Camp”. To me this is appalling and a black eye for our country. Veterans are not asking for a handout, they just want a chance to prove themselves again. The media has done an excellent job at making veterans look like they are damaged. Veterans are not broken, we are strong with allot to offer to any employer willing to hire us. Many newer veterans are using their post 9-11 education benefits to help compete for employment or starting their own businesses because they can, which will greatly benefit our society.   

About two years ago I needed some work done on my truck. I pulled into a shop, a young man walked out and started to talk to me about what I needed repaired. Since I am a retired old timer and still have a base sticker on my truck he asked me about my service, he proceeded to discuss his two tours in Iraq like he has known me all of his life. Like many veterans we started talking about our service. He had just gotten out of the military and was running a shop owned by his dad. We started discussing in depth what he wanted to do for a new career. He stated he wanted to go to college.  Like most who get out of the military he was struggling to understand the bureaucracy of the Veterans Administration (VA) benefits system, including his education benefits.

We spent an hour talking about benefits. I encouraged him to look into using his post 9-11 education benefits where he could get paid while going to college.  He asked several questions and I answered as best I could. I suggested he call the school he wanted to attend and talk to them, they know all of the ins and outs. I offered my story and how I used my benefits to attain my Master’s Degree in psychology. I also asked if he had filed a claim for his service connected complications. Like many he said he hadn’t because he had friends that were allot worse off than him and he did not want to ask for a handout. We continued to discuss his situation, I gave him some information and where he could go to file a claim. He fixed my truck and I went on my way.

I stopped by from time to time to say hi and see how he was doing. Later I needed some work on my car, so of course I went back to him. He has reasonable pricing and was a Vet so he gets my money. When I saw him he appeared happy to see me. He told me he had filed a claim with the VA and was waiting for the results, he also had chosen a school to get his business degree. He wanted to continue running his dads shop and possibly all of them in the future, so a business degree fit right in.

From what I am seeing, todays veterans are struggling to find employment and are attending college in droves. Many are trying to gain an upper hand in the job market. I just hope the 70% of employers who steer clear of veterans start looking at the benefits of hiring veterans and allow them to compete in a fair competitive job market.    

Many veterans are still struggling with employment issues. One of the main problems seen in today’s workforce is the civilians do not understand veterans. Less than 1% of today’s US population has served in the military since Iraq and Afghanistan started. That translates to very few veterans being in the position to hire veterans. Many veterans do not understand how to put their leadership, logistics, and teamwork on a resume.  The few veterans who do the position to hire veterans know and understand, but many civilians don’t.  Many veterans are using their post 9-11 benefits to go to college to become competitive, others are starting their own businesses, some are doing both. Many veterans get certain preferences when starting a business. What I would like to see is veterans supporting veteran businesses, and older veterans mentoring the younger ones. We are the 1% so we need to help each other thrive.

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 VA Sends Veterans But Not Funding to Local Nonprofits

I was working with Angie Sheer, founder of Equus Medendi (Latin for Horse Healing) Equine Therapy and Martin, an Iraqi war veteran. Martin, was the squad leader of patrol in Iraq with his unit when they hit an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and simultaneously attacked with small arms fire. Martin had lost 3 of his troops and was injured himself during the attack. He was in the Nevada Army National Guard and had a good job before his tour to Iraq. He has 5 children and is 100% disabled due to his back, & leg injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). He has lost his civilian job due to his injuries and struggles allot with his family. His temper has become a problem for everyone in his family because of his PTSD and TBI. His circle of friends has gotten smaller and he feels his world is closing in on him. Every time Martin and his family needed to go somewhere he struggled with the traffic and overpasses because of his triggers. When he hears loud noises he panics and struggles to come back to the present. While driving down the interstate he heard a loud noise in a construction zone and almost wrecked his car with his family in it, his story is not uncommon. There are thousands of veterans that suffer just like Martin.

There are allot of different treatments that help our veterans and their families, equine therapy is one of them. Anxiety is a huge issue among veterans who have seen combat. Because a horse is a flight animal and humans are carnivore’s horses have the ability to sense any anxiety in a person. The horse by nature picks up on the anxiety or nerviness in the clients and senses it as danger. The horse will not allow the clients to hide their anxiety, causing the veteran to learn how to control their anxiety. The horse is a 1200 pound lie detector, when someone says their anxiety is under control the horse will know if your lying and act accordingly. Once the clients have control of their anxiety the horses can begin to trust the veteran. One of the main goals is to build trust in the relationship between the horse and the clients to work together to reach more extensive goals. This is impossible if the anxiety is not under control.  

Because PTSD is an anxiety disorder horses are instrumental in the recovery of some clients. Many veterans lose their social and communication skills due to their PTSD and the horse helps the veteran re-build those lost skills. If the horse senses any anxiety or stress they will not come near the client, they must control their stress level and anxiety for the horse to “partner up” with them, or follow your lead to complete other tasks.   

It is imperative that each horse be a good match for the client’s. Like people every horse has their own personality. During the orientation process the clinician and the equine specialist discuss the client’s story with them and what they are looking for in the equine therapeutic process. After the initial meeting, the equine specialist and the clinician choose which horse is the best for that client.   

Equus Medendi has multiple horse owners that allow Angie to use their horses to work with veterans. Angie has eight horses to choose from. Two of the horses were abused retired race horses and have built in trust issues. Two are stubborn and the client must work to convince the horse to do what the client wants them to do. One horse struggles with boundaries and likes to be with the client and in their face, one is just a brat, one is a mustang born wild and broken as a colt, and one is an alpha female with attitude. Angie was trained by Monty Roberts AKA “the Horse whisperer” She was also trained in Eagala therapy making her good at what she does.

Since the founding of Equus Medendi they have seen several hundred veterans and family members. Of those 75 to 100 veterans have been sent by the VA. In many instances they are some of the toughest cases. Martin was one of those cases. He had been through several different programs the VA has offered.  At times, many clinicians have tough cases that show little if no improvement. When Martin was sent to the equine program he was struggling. When he had finished the equine program he had improved enough to give clinicians a starting point to complete his traditional therapy sessions. The problem is the VA sends Veterans to the equine program, but sends no resources or funds to support the program.

The funding for the services come from many sources, people donate to the program and apply for grants. Equus Medendi pride themselves in never having to charge a veteran for their services. The VA has been reluctant to fund the program even though research has proven equine therapy has proven effective. There are some VA’s that fund programs like equine, but each VA is different and some place their funds elsewhere. Many non-profits struggle to financially make ends meet with little to no monetary funds from the Government. Often the VA wants to utilize non-profits and not fund them, which is the case with Equus Medendi. Since the VA can’t see everyone it would make since to fund outside sources who treat veterans, but why should they, folks like Angie do it for free. Please support your local veteran non-profits to help fill the cracks in the VA mental health system.

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 Need to Give Civilian Clinicians a Chance

One of the most important things I do as a clinician is to help veteran students in crisis at San Bernardino Valley College on average once a week. Billy is a 27 year old, 80% disabled Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran who came into the office and asked if he could talk to me. I have known him for quite a while and knew a little about his background but never saw him as a client or in distress. Once he sat down and the door was shut it was evident there was an issue. He was tearful and visibly shaken because he was struggling with issues at home. He feared his PTSD was setting a bad example for his children and pushing his wife away.

Billy was a proud, angry, scared, and venerable young man. It took allot for him to visit me in the center where everyone could see him come in and sit down. Since I am well known to the veteran’s at the college he felt safe to discuss his issues with me. He appeared to be at the end of the rope and needed someone to talk to. Billy is not willing to use the services at the Veterans Administration or the Veterans Center because he don’t trust them. He is paying for a private clinician so ethically I could not continue to see him, my job at that moment was to stabilize the crisis and send him to his private clinician.

Billy was unsure what set off the most recent event. He felt he was a failure because he had no job and his PTSD appeared to be controlling his life. He had been unemployed since he got out and was scared to apply for jobs fearing rejection. As we discussed his situation we got into a deep conversation about what was going on with him. At this point I was just another veteran trying to help him through the crisis not his clinician. I completed a quick suicide assessment on him and found him to not be suicidal. He started telling me some of his stories from deployments and some of the things he had seen and done. I was aware that he was seeing a private psychologist so I had to tread lightly and be sure not to undermine anything his private clinician was doing. I discussed with him the ethical situation of seeing two clinicians and why I could not see him on a continual basis. I asked if he had discussed the issues he disclosed with me to his private clinician. He hadn’t; he didn’t feel the civilian clinician would understand. I advised him that the civilian clinician was perfectly capable of helping him, but he could not put him back together without all of the pieces. I encouraged him to talk to his clinician the same way he talked to me. He agreed to try.

The following week Billy told me that he had taken my advice and was doing allot better. He opened up to his clinician and it appeared to help. Billy told his clinician about our conversation; his clinician told him that he needed to thank me for the advice to open up. Billy is not alone. Many veterans feel they cannot tell civilian clinician things they can tell a veteran. The reality is they can, not all clinicians are a good fit for an individual, finding the right therapist is the key. Civilian clinicians are capable of working with veterans, they just need to know the whole story.  Civilian clinician see PTSD frequently, 7.7 million Americans have non-combat PTSD, and the odds of a clinician already treating someone with PTSD is high. The bottom line, it is important for veterans to open up to your civilian clinician and not leave out parts of your puzzle. They can help you more than you know. Billy is doing great now, he is still going to counseling and now has a job. He is still married and helping raise their children, this is a success story that we all like to hear. Sometimes all it takes is someone who is willing to sit with them, listen to their thoughts, and talk to them with empathy.  

Recognizing Suicide

Talking to a veteran, family member, or friend about their suicidal thoughts is extremely difficult but necessary. Many times all it takes to prevent a suicide attempt is to ask! You can't make a person suicidal by asking the question and showing that you care. In fact, giving a suicidal person the opportunity to discuss their feelings can provide relief they need and may prevent a suicide attempt.

Common suicide risk factors include:

• History of trauma or abuse

• Recent loss or stressful life event

• Terminal illness or chronic pain

• Social isolation and loneliness

• Alcoholism or drug abuse

• Mental illness

• Previous suicide attempts

• Family history of suicide

Ways to start a conversation about suicide:

• I have been feeling concerned about you lately.

• Recently, I have noticed some differences in you and wondered how you are doing.

• I wanted to check in with you because you haven’t seemed yourself lately.

Questions you can ask:

• When did you begin feeling like this?

• Did something happen that made you start feeling this way?

• How can I best support you right now?

• Have you thought about getting help?

What you can say that helps:

• You are not alone in this. I’m here for you.

• You may not believe it now, but the way you’re feeling will change.

• I may not be able to understand exactly how you feel, but I care about you and want to help.

• When you want to give up, tell yourself you will hold off for just one more day, hour, minute—whatever you can manage.

 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 Cost of Doing the Right Thing

Francisco is a Marine veteran client that I work with. He had two tours in Iraq and struggles to deal with what happened. Francisco was in-voluntary extended after his 4 years in the corps because he was supposed to be a part of the “surge”. His last tour he had a fellow marine from his unit die in his arms on his first tour and now he had to go on another one. Francisco lives with the feeling that his fellow Marine took his last breath while he was holding him. Francisco continues to feel that last breath leaves the Marine before he died. That incident effects his decisions to this day. One of the reasons he made the decision to do what he thought was right the rest of his time in the Marines, and that decision cost him.

What he was concerned about the most is his inability to not make lance corporal. He separated from the Marines as a corporal. This is very demeaning to him, especially the reason why he did not make rank. You see, Francisco made the mistake of standing up for an inferior marine why he was beaten by his Sargent. His Sargent was beating a fellow Marine in the next rack while he was trying to sleep. Francisco continually tried to stop the Sargent from beating the Marine. He was told to stay out of it. After the sergeant was done beating the Marine he proceeded to treat the marine by doing CPR. The Marine was beaten so bad he had stopped breathing. He then filed a complaint and the sergeant was reprimanded. After that incident Francisco was always having to look over his back. He was ostracized as being a trouble maker and a rat. He was treated with little respect by his peers in the corps. After he had decided to leave the Marine Corps he was offered a promotion, which he refused. After being treated the way he was for saving his fellow Marine he decided he would get out. He feels he is being looked down upon by fellow veteran Marines for doing the right thing.

Francisco continues to struggle by questioning his choice to do what he felt was right. He has seen many that have done questionable things and have gotten away with them, and even becoming better off than they were. He feels doing what was right has cost him many times in his life and he consistently asks me why he should keep doing what was right because it has not helped him, it has only hurt him. It is a difficult task to convince someone that doing the right thing is what is best even if it cost them. He tried to do what the Marines told him to do, he followed the written code to the letter, and the problem was he did not follow the unwritten code of not telling on others when he sees hazing of another Marine.

Another issue that Francisco deals with is what other Marines say about him behind his back. He has told several people this story since he got out and they have looked down upon him as if he was still in. What Francisco needs to learn is he owns his story that he does not have to tell everyone about his situation. Francisco is an honest person who feels bad about holding back anything from his time in the Marines. He has lived his life being the honest person, he feels like it has backfired. Unfortunately, his case is not the only one I've heard. It is difficult to make these decisions and he made it. Francisco did the right thing but paid the price of doing it.

From a clinical standpoint it is difficult for young man to deal with this type of burden. In his mind the choice he made will affect him for the rest of his life. Many men and women in the military are brave enough to stand up for what they feel is right. There are those that stand up for what they believe is right knowing there will be consequences to their actions. Some accept that responsibility and move forward. Others struggle with their decision and consistently wonder if they made the right one. Many things the Marine struggles with when he gets out in society often does not do the right thing. Even though all military branches are taught integrity loyalty commitment not all people follow that code. Doing what's right can often lead to struggles. Many civilians do not make ethical decisions and that bothers those who do. Those who do the right thing start to question whether they're doing the right thing by sticking to their morals. This type of stuff happens and some pay the consequences. My opinion is we should all stand up for what is right even though it costs us. If everyone used this code the military, civilians, and society would all be a better place.

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.

Psychological Medication Still a Problem at the VA

Mitch is a homeless 45 year old veteran I met in the high desert. He has a heartbreaking story that has affected his life. He was betrayed by his parents who traded him for drugs, during that time he was sexually molested from ages 5-8 before being placed in the foster care system. He has struggled his whole life because of it. When he aged out he went in the Army hoping to gain a better life. Like many veterans he joined the military to escape the situation he was in, the problem is his past followed him. He was sexually assaulted in the Army too but like many did not report it to his command. During his life he continued to excessively drink alcohol to numb his pain so he could deal with the shame of being molested and raped. Many people don't realize that in 2012 an estimated 13,900 men were sexually assaulted in the military. Men are less likely to report the sexual assault, therefore this is probably a low number. Imagine what it was like over 25 years ago. Mitch received an honorable discharge from the Army, but it was "highly suggested" he not attempt to re-enlist by his Commanding Officer due to his substance abuse.

One of the biggest problem clinicians are struggling with concerning veterans is duel diagnosis. Duel diagnosis is a combination of a diagnosable psychological disorder and comorbid substance abuse. Mitch has a duel diagnosis. He has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from his molestation and sexual abuse and alcohol abuse because he was trying to deal with his PTSD. In a report published in 2009 an estimated 29% of veterans with mental health problems were diagnosed with duel diagnosis and 33% of those were diagnosed with 3 or more diagnosable disorders. I have worked with several clients that have duel diagnosis and it is troublesome to say the least.

The more I work with veterans on their mental health issue the more I see them refusing to work with the Veterans Administration’s (VA) mental health system. Mitch didn’t file a claim because of the shame. He tried to get services but he struggled to make his appointments. Most veterans who don’t trust the VA don’t file a claim and continue to self-medicate to deal with their pain, creating and maintaining their duel diagnosis. Some veterans are scared to get help or file a claim because of the VA’s reputation of giving them psychiatric drugs and sending them out the door. Some fear being forced to take medication or be denied their claim. I have talked to several veterans who have refused to get mental health assistance through the VA because of their reputation of drugging them instead of helping them with counseling. Some have been to the VA and been given medication, but stopped taking it because it made them feel worse. There are several reasons some veterans don’t seek mental health help, the fear of being catatonically medicated is one of them. The VA doesn’t feel there is a drug problem, but some veterans I talk to disagree. Whether it is the truth or not, veterans are scared to seek help due to their perception, what they read, and what they hear from other veterans.

In some VA locations a medication approach is being taken because they are overwhelmed. Between 2007 and 2013 there was a 40% increase in the number of veterans seeking mental health care in west LA alone. Where this is a huge increase in clients the number if psychologist and psychiatrists only increased by 12%. A RAND Corporation study anticipates a 30% of all Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) will meet the full criteria for PTSD, depression, substance abuse, or anxiety disorders. That is about 810,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. There is a real problem within the VA concerning mental health issues that is not being addressed properly. The information in the media about the VA fuels veteran’s fears and feeds into their paranoia that the VA just wants to drug them and send them on their way. Many are scared to go to the VA for obvious reasons.

Fortunately, local community organizations have taken up the slack in some areas. Some states like California have mental health programs for veterans. These programs have been put into place because the VA is overwhelmed or ill prepared for today’s veterans. Also, these programs are in place to catch those who don’t trust the VA or meet their criteria for VA services. Often these services include the families of the veteran in the mental health treatment process. Also, there are multiple non-profit agencies available for services. Look at your local community for help if you do not trust or are not near a VA facility.

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.