Most Veterans Have Benefits

With a couple of exceptions almost all veterans have some benefits, and many don’t know they exist. Many of us who work with veterans are concerned about how little veteran’s and their families know about their Veterans Administration’s (VA) or local benefits available for veterans. A friend who runs a local resource center for veterans and I were discussing Catherine, the granddaughter of John, a Korean War veteran. Catherine brought John into the resource center last year asking for help understanding the VA healthcare system. Catherine didn’t know if John was covered by the VA for any of his medical needs and didn’t know who to ask. A friend of Catherine told her about the resource center, that is how she ended up in the center’s office. The resource center looked at John’s case and found he qualified for services, not just a few, almost all services the VA provides.

The resource center also helped file a disability claim for multiple issues John has.  Like many before him, John’s disability claim was denied. The center turned the claim over to the local Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chapter who is presently helping John in the appeals process. Like many of our older veterans John’s health continues to decline as he waits for the appeals process to work through the VA bureaucracy. For most people who work with veterans we struggle understanding why the VA can’t process appeals in an appropriate time. It is frustrating dealing with the VA system. Most of us who work with veterans don’t understand why the VA isn’t getting the benefits information out to veterans and their families and why they make it so difficult to get the benefits veterans have earned. All we can come up with is money! The more who know about the benefits, the more it costs the VA.

According to Catherine, John didn’t suffer any physical disabilities from the war that he would discuss. Like many veterans, he would never tell anyone if he had any mental health issues because of the stigma. John never boasted about his service in Korea or talked much about it. John is presently on oxygen, walks with a walker, struggles with his hearing, and has poor eye sight. He’s been having physical problems for over 30 years which caused him to lose his job as a heavy equipment operator years ago. He never considered going to the VA for any benefits after he lost his job. Like so many veterans he didn’t believe he had any benefits to receive or did not want to feel like a mooch by getting help from the government.  

John and his family have been paying for his eye glasses, hearing aids, and walker for years. Many of these items can be received from the VA at no cost if he qualified. As a combat veteran with low income he should qualify for most services offered at the VA. Many family members know very little about their veteran’s service, let alone the VA benefits process. John is now getting some VA services while waiting for his disability claim to be approved. There are services in the community that are designed to help with the process. Some are financed by the Federal, State, and County Governments. Many are local non-profits, Veterans service organizations such as the VFW, AMVETS, American Legion, DAV, and many others provide needed services. Most of these local non-profits are primarily funded by other veterans, veteran’s groups, grants, and community donations.  

The First Step in getting help

From experience, the first item that a veteran must obtain, establishing eligibility for benefits is an official copy of their DD-214. This form tells the veteran’s military history in one page and is imperative for the veteran to receive any services from the VA. If the veteran doesn’t have a copy of his DD-214 one can be attained through the national archives. You can order the record online, but a signed copy of the form must be sent via mail or fax because of security, forgery, and compliance issues. A copy of a veteran’s DD-214 can also be attained by signing the veteran up for an e-Benefits account on the internet. If your request is urgent due to surgery or funeral arrangements you can request emergency actions, you must file an SF-180 and fax it to the National Archives.

Known Disqualifiers

There are some that do not qualify for benefits, they include Reserve and National Guard members who have never deployed on active duty, Active Duty for training purposes only also do not qualify. Those who have dishonorable discharges also do not qualify. There is a present movement to provide mental health benefits for those who have a dishonorable discharge. Often a veteran will self-medicate by using illicit drugs or alcohol causing them to make bad choices like Driving under the influence (DUI) or failing a drug test. Currently, the VA is looking into the part the military could have played as a possible cause of the veteran’s dishonorable discharge. This is a positive move for the VA.    

Death Benefits

Death Benefits are something we never like to discuss, unfortunately it is a part of life as well as an offered benefit to veterans and their families. It depends on several issues, whether your veteran qualifies, but most of them do. Many family members know very little about these death benefits. The funeral home should know the process. You must let them know that your family member is a veteran and they should be able to help with the details. If they do not know or refuse to help, seek other arrangements.  For your knowledge the requirements can be found on the VA web site.

Information about VA Benefits

All the benefits can be found on the VA’s web site. The web site states the qualifying criteria for VA services.  Some may have trouble navigating all the information. The website is a monster and hard to navigate.  If you struggle with the navigation or language on the website there are several locations you can get information. I suggest you visit the local VSO’s (VFW, DAV, AMVETSs) if you are struggling with understanding the requirements of getting services for veterans.

Local Resources:

There are other agencies besides the VA that can help with veteran’s issues. The local DAV, VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, and Vet centers can help find resources. If they can’t help you more than likely they know who can. Check with your local veteran’s groups for help finding appropriate resources. Often, state, county, or cities have programs for veterans and their families. Once you have established the resources available to you for your veteran family it will be easier on your family dealing with the situation you are in.  

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.

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There are Differences in Generations of Military Veterans

Just like societal generations, there are veteran generations too. Even though Veterans share a lot of commonalities and experiences, each generation differs. World War II (WWII) Veterans, Korean War Veterans, Vietnam Veterans, Cold War Veterans, Gulf War Veterans, and Afghanistan & Iraq veterans all look at their service differently. Each generation has their own stories and experiences, both good and bad. Some are willing to talk about their service, some are apprehensive about discussing it, and some don’t discuss it at all. The military member has changed over the years, from those drafted to those who volunteered, each generation has different expectations of what they were promised. The one thing all veterans have in common, we have a brotherhood that is unspoken. We are always there for each other through good and bad.

By the way if you want to learn how to save a veteran's life for FREE, click here.

Back to my story. During WWII every American felt the pinch of war. Everyone knew someone in the war. Those serving had an approximate tour of duty of 21 Months. While they were in theater civilians dealt with food rations, gas rations, copper drives, steel drives and anything to help the war effort. During this time the industrial complex of the United States was at full capability. Women were doing jobs society designated for men in an attempt to free men up for the war effort. Once the war was won all veterans came home to a hero’s welcome. World War II veterans returned home to women capable of doing the jobs they were doing when they left. For the first time in our society women were given the chance to prove they could do a “man’s” job. Everyone had a part to play during WWII and our society had changed because of it, when the WWII veterans returned.

Korean War veterans are not remembered or treated like the WWII veterans. They also spoke very little about their service. Most had 18 months service in country, but some were required to stay for the duration. Officially the Koreans are still at war and we still have troops in South Korea 65 years later. Many Korean War veterans were drafted into the military, some volunteered, and others were WWII lifers. The Korean War is thought of by many as the forgotten war. These troops fought with valor just like the WWII veterans but the fanfare did not happen for them. Korean War Veterans share a similarity to WWII Veterans in many areas.   

Vietnam War is a different story. The average tour in Vietnam was 12 months with differing variations for different branches. Many do not talk about their experiences because of the way they were treated when they returned. They were called baby killers, spit on, and kept from getting jobs. Many do not trust the government, the VA, or society in general. Many go off into corners of the United States and live alone. A large part of homeless veterans are from the Vietnam era. Many have checked out of society because they don’t trust the society that let them down and treated them poorly for doing their jobs. Many have mental health issues brought on by war and the way they were treated when they came home, but have been overlooked by society for so long they don’t want the help.

The Cold war era of veterans span several decades. From 1945 to 1991 there was constant tension between Russia and the United States. There were several notable incidents such as the Berlin Air lift, and the Cuban Missile Crisis during this time. The Korean War and the Vietnam War were the first proxy wars in the cold war era. In the years that followed, the United States had to maintain a readiness to deploy. Every time there was a problem throughout the world the military had to be ready to fight the battle. From 1948 until 1973, during both peacetime and periods of conflict, men were drafted to fill vacancies in the armed forces which could not be filled through voluntary means. Those that served during the cold war tend to be over looked when veterans are recognized. Many don’t consider themselves veterans, they were “just in”. Unfortunately some war veterans do not consider cold war veterans as veterans either, some veterans do not feel they deserve the same benefits those that have been in combat receive. The VA does place them at a lower priority, but they are veterans and should be treated like one.

Desert Storm was the first major deployment using an all voluntary military. It was short in duration, the service time was 7 months to a year depending on branch of service. Desert Storm veterans were treated well when they returned thanks to the Vietnam Veterans. Now, Desert Storm Veterans are forgotten about for the most part. Even though Desert Storm Veterans suffer the highest causality rate of any war, they are mainly forgotten and considered a pre-curser to the present wars. The deployment ops tempo was maintained from Desert Storm to Operation Iraqi Freedom. A consistent stream of soldiers, sailors, marines and airman were deployed to the Middle East especially to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The US military did not pick up and leave after desert storm, we stayed there from 1991 to 2003.     

Veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)  are a different type of military members. Many civilians don’t understand that the service in Afghanistan and Iraq were different. There were different tactics and different enemies in each location. The desert in Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan are two different worlds. Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom veterans are only 0.5% of the general population. These veterans are the first to be required to serve multiple deployments in the combat zone. There are some of these military members who have had upwards of seven tours in the combat zone. An issue of multiple deployments is of multiple re-integrations as well as multiple deployments.  The VA is just starting to see onslaught of how multiple combat tours is affecting our veterans and their system. The history of these two wars is still being written.  

Often veteran’s families do not know about the benefits that are available for their loved one. If your loved one ever served in the military they probably have some type of benefits. There will be times where the veteran themselves will squawk at the idea of getting help from the VA. Where I see, the quietest veterans are those who did not serve in combat and were “Vietnam era” veterans and feel ‘less than’ because of a choice by someone else to send them to Germany or Korea instead of Vietnam. The “Cold War” era veterans are also overlooked. Some veterans served 20 years in the military and never saw combat. They are just as important, they were the reason the US maintained the peace through deterrence. Family members need to try and make sure their loved one who served in the military get their benefits even though the veteran feels they do not deserve them. Veterans benefits can make the family members life easier by making sure the veteran gets their benefits. It can help the veteran psychologically by being proud of your loved one and possibly help to take some of the physical and psychological issues off your hands.  It can help families financially by giving veterans earned services.       

Veterans have differing views on their time in and their return home. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is common in all conflicts, but each generation has handled it differently and so has the VA. Many WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans flew under the radar and did not ask for help. The Vietnam veterans finally stepped up and we now have a diagnosis for PTSD because of their efforts. Some civilians believe society is overdoing it for our newest veterans trying to make up for how the Vietnam Veterans were treated. I believe and hope it is becoming acceptable to ask for help. Either way we all have our opinions, isn’t that what all veterans fought for, the freedom to have our opinions and beliefs? 

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.

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Could PTSD be Genetic?

We were doing research on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for a training we are establishing about the generational pattern we see in our PTSD clients. We continually see instances where multiple people were subjected to the exact same trauma without some of them developing PTSD. We have heard and seen several instances where people feel that they went through the same trauma and didn’t get PTSD, leading them to feel those who developed PTSD from the event are just weak. I am here to tell everyone, that is defiantly not the case. We have seen many different types of events that cause PTSD.  Physical events such as gang violence, domestic violence, combat, sexual assault / molestation, accidents, and natural disasters to name a few can all cause PTSD. We know those who have experienced violence in early childhood are more likely to develop PTSD in adulthood.  Now, studies are suggesting that PTSD can be passed down genetically from someone who has PTSD to their children.  It can change the trajectory of the entire family.  This revelation means that the cost of combat PTSD will change the lives of soldier’s families for generations to come.

Living in poverty, gang violence, bullying, domestic violence and fighting all increase the chance of someone developing PTSD. Those who have lived through trauma are more susceptible to developing PTSD. The inner-city violence might not have caused PTSD, but it increases the chance of getting PTSD later in life, if they don’t have it already. Wealthy or middle class folks can suffer from PTSD also. Domestic Violence, and bullying are a large contributor to PTSD and have no social economic status (SES) attached, PTSD does not discriminate. Money doesn’t prevent PTSD, everyone is susceptible to it.

As we all know, the Veterans Administration drives the PTSD bus. So much of the PTSD treatments, studies, and information comes from the VA. But they are not the only entity conducting research.  Combat is the most well-known, documented, and accepted cause of PTSD in our society. Everyone who lives through combat is a changed person. Ten people can be in the same firefight and only one of them winds up with PTSD. It is possible for all 10 or none of them to get PTSD, but the chance exists for everyone. It has been proven that each deployment increases the chance of getting PTSD.  Along with combat being recognized as a leading cause of PTSD, sexual assault / molestation are big contributors also.  Often families do not recognize sexual assault as the cause of the PTSD in their loved one because they are unaware of the event. The shame and guilt that comes along with sexual assault causes people not to disclose what happened to them. One of the biggest mistakes our society makes is overlooking sexual assault of men. Society looks at sexual assault differently when men are victims rather than women. Sexual assault often is not disclosed because of stigma, leaving families wondering how someone got PTSD or has the signs of PTSD because they do not know about the trauma.

I often tell people that everyone is one car accident away from PTSD. It is not only car accidents; it is any type of accidents. Almost drowning, falling down a cliff, falling off a roof, or accidental shootings, have been shown to cause PTSD. Other causes include natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, fires, or hurricanes. Any of these can cause someone to get PTSD, it does not have to be combat related.   

Understanding what can cause non-combat PTSD can be a relationship changer for both those who have PTSD or their families. Most PTSD in our society comes from events happening to non-military personnel. What we recently found as a possible cause of PTSD shocked us and made us look differently at how generational transmission is possible, could PTSD be genetic? There are experts in the field of trauma who believe PTSD can be genetically transferred from one generation to another. Where some people might scoff at this idea, we believe it is possible and something to be researched in-depth. If this is true, as research has suggested, PTSD can be passed on genetically, we need to look at how being married to PTSD can change the outcome for families suffering from PTSD for generations to come. Those who live through horrific events such as physical violence, domestic violence, combat, sexual assault / molestation, accidents, and natural disasters could be passing the PTSD to their children genetically. This might be the answer as to why one person gets PTSD and another doesn’t when two people endure the same trauma. You can think of it like this; the inherited DNA is the gun and the traumatic event is the trigger.  The gun may never be fired if there is no traumatic event to trigger it, PTSD does not occur.  We understand that this can be scary to most people, but PTSD can be headed off with counseling and managing the symptoms if you know what they are. The earlier PTSD is resolved, the less likely it will be passed down.  Having PTSD does not have to be a life sentence if it is managed.     

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.

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Boot Camp is Different for Everyone

I was talking to Max, who owns a homeless veteran facility in the high desert. He was perplexed at the number of veterans that have PTSD without seeing combat. He started telling me about Steve, a 38 year old homeless Army veteran that lives in his facility. Steve has never seen combat but has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) outside of the Veterans Administration’s (VA) system. Like many in his situation Steve also struggles with addiction. Many veterans like Steve don’t know if he qualifies for VA benefits or not. Like so many veterans Steve struggles to fit in. He can work a little and does odd jobs when he can to make some money, but holding down a full-time job eludes him due to his illness. Steve may have VA benefits because of his minimal income, but getting him to go to the VA and deal with the red tape is a different story.

Steve was married for several years and has a daughter. Steve had an incident that triggered him and he spiraled into a deep depression. After a while he started to self-medicate with alcohol like so many veterans in his condition. Steve told Max that he reached his bottom when his wife took their daughter and left. Due to his situation Steve lost his family and his home. He became another homeless veteran statistic.     

Max, a veteran himself, is struggling to understand how someone who was in the military and never saw combat could have PTSD. Max is unaware of any traumatic event in Steve’s life, but has seen this a lot of trauma in veterans, especially the homeless population. He believes Steve has some trauma in his background but Max is not qualified to talk to him about his possible trauma and Steve will not talk openly about it. Since I am a mental health professional, Max asked if it was possible to get PTSD from Boot Camp. To me that was an interesting thought, boot camp does offer many of the same situations that can cause PTSD.  In boot camp recruits are threatened, psychologically tortured, placed in physically demanding high stress situations in order to eliminate those deemed as “weak”. I understand it sounds absurd that something so many people go through can cause PTSD. But studies show it can play a part.

Most mental health professionals aren’t ready to say that boot camp causes PTSD, but some do. Research shows some psychologists and mental health professionals feel it is possible for recruits to have the “PTSD seed” before they enter the military. The military mental health screening process for recruits is limited, to say the least. The military does not possess the needed manpower or expertise to do a complete mental health makeup of all new recruits.  Studies have proven that having a traumatic background can increase the possibility of getting PTSD in the future. Many recruits join the military to get out of their undesirable environments, and sometimes that includes violence. Some recruits were sexually molested, come from inner city gangs, raised in abusive homes, survived natural disasters, car accidents, and bullied in school, all of which can cause PTSD or the “PTSD seed”. Individuals who enter the military with pre-existing mental health issues is common. Those who have PTSD or the “seed” can be at a higher risk of having problems because of the stressors brought on by boot camp and combat training.

The military service entails a considerable amount of stress and high demand for excellence. Persons that enter the military with pre-existing mental health issues are more likely to suffer from military training. The consistent threats from drill instructors who hold power over them can cause some recruits to struggle. Most make it through, but the seed can be fertilized causing the trauma to grow in some and in others, it was already there. Most don’t realize the seed was planted causing them bigger problems later. Since alcohol is acceptable in military culture, many self-medicate to survive the pain of their mental health issues. The all-volunteer military opens up the possibility of having more recruits susceptible. This is especially true in the enlisted ranks.

A US Navy study showed many recruits are unaware of, or do not disclose having mental health issues. The study found that 15% to 17% of enlistees could be categorized as having PTSD. There is no reason to believe that this study does not represent the same percentages among other military branches. With the lack of mental health professionals in the recruiting process it is highly possible some military recruits make it through the process to go on to boot camp. Even if mental health professionals spent face to face time with recruits they would struggle to build rapport in the allotted time to flag the recruit for further evaluation.

Often these homeless veterans like Steve have burned their bridges with their families. Not just their spouses but parents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts etc. Family members do not understand what’s going on and often blame their veteran for their homelessness because they do not believe someone without combat can have PTSD. The veteran does have a responsibility, to seek help for their PTSD.        

So, the question is still, does basic training cause PTSD? No one knows for sure, but it is possible. It is more likely that Steve entered the military with mental health problems and boot camp or military service exacerbated the issues. Presently he is doing fine and still clean and sober, he is moving forward trying to gather his life back together but it is a struggle for him. 

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.

Want to learn more about how to handle PTSD?   

CLICK HERE to get your free resources.

Is the VA causing some of its issues with PTSD?

It appears that the VA can be it's own worst enemy at times. The bureaucracy, public scrutiny, and the fear of being taken advantage of continue to get in the way of helping veterans.   Christopher is a combat Marine with two tours in Iraq. He developed PTSD while serving in Iraq during the surge. When he returned, he struggled with his PTSD and started using alcohol to deal with his PTSD. Like many young Marines, he drank hard and partied hard. After multiple years of partying, he was unable to reenlist because of his bad decisions brought on by his PTSD. Christopher did not seek help while he was on active duty because of the stigma associated with PTSD and mental illness in the military ranks so he did the best that he could.

When Christopher got out of the military, he sought help from the VA. He continued drinking to deal with his PTSD. After his initial assessment, he was given a 70% disability rating because of his PTSD and other physical issues. Ever since the VA has started addressing the PTSD issue, they have struggled to have enough mental health therapists to deal with the epidemic. From what I have seen from those who have PTSD due to their service connection they continually worry that their disability for PTSD will be taken away if they improve. From what I have seen most veterans with PTSD get reassessed after five years. If they still have PTSD after those five years and have not shown much improvement the PTSD stays on their record, they maintain the disability rating. I have also seen where the disability has decreased for those who appear to have gotten better over those five years. It appears to be no incentive to recover from your PTSD because you lose more financially than you gain from improving.

Some of the veterans I work with struggle to hold a job because of their PTSD. Some of them work jobs at night because they do not have to deal with crowds. Some need to have modified schedules, which may or may not be accommodated by their employer. Another struggle is the lack of trust brought on by their PTSD. Some fight the overstimulation brought on by their PTSD and cannot hold a job that has anything to do with public contact. Since PTSD is all about threat assessment someone with PTSD can struggle to have a job, they are focused on their surroundings and possible threats they may encounter while at work and cannot do their job. Some employers have the capability of accommodating someone with PTSD, but other employers may not want to deal with someone's PTSD issues when they can find someone who does not have PTSD.

So many veterans struggle to maintain jobs and then the VA threatens to take away their disability rating for getting better. My question is why the VA threatens to take away someone’s PTSD rating if they improve.  PTSD is not something that goes away, it is something you learn to manage. Those who learn to manage it can have their PTSD disability taken away, it does not make sense because they still have PTSD. They have done the work learning to control and manage their symptoms and now they could lose some income. It appears to me that the VA is not giving veterans a reason to get better. It seems to be in the veteran's best interest to not improve, creating its own set of issues including drug use, alcohol abuse, and possible suicide. 

If the VA would quit threatening to take away someone’s PTSD rating, they may have an incentive to improve. Maybe VA should consider looking at PTSD disability as reparations for putting that individual through the hell that caused their PTSD. I have worked with multiple veterans to have learned to manage their PTSD and live holy and successful lives. Even though they may not be able to hold down jobs because of their PTSD they do spend time volunteering when they can.

Once someone has been given a PTSD disability rating, I do not feel a rating should be taken away or the VA having the ability to decrease the rating if they see improvement. Those who learn to manage their PTSD are one trigger away from slipping back into old behaviors. PTSD is a life-altering condition. What causes some folk's PTSD to re-surface is stress, threatening to take away their disability rating can cause the stress that pushes the PTSD back to the forefront. I believe the VA needs to reevaluate how they look at PTSD and how they give the rating. Those who have PTSD can be productive members of society if given the chance to learn how to manage their PTSD. The VA threatening to take away their rating can trigger them to subconsciously do things that increase their PTSD symptoms. This can cause the VA to give the rating permanency anyway.

For questions or comments, you can contact me at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit my website at www.afterdutyvets.com, and subscribe to my YouTube channel After Duty Vets or like us on Facebook at After Duty Vets.    

There is a Long History of Mental Health Stigma in the Military

Many veterans believe there is a stigma in the military culture concerning mental health. All of those presently in the military will be veterans and will weigh heavily on future research. Military history has consistently shown that mental health issues play a part in any military branch. It is believed that mental health stigma was placed in the military to prevent soldiers from leaving the battlefield. The stigma is in line with masculine behavior within the military structure, creating self-stigma. Some believe the primary care system within the United States military and the Veterans Administration (VA) could address the mental health stigma if they choose to, it appears they are finally trying. It is also essential to know that the United States isn't the only country having issues with soldiers and mental health stigma. The United Kingdom also shows a troubling trend towards not trusting mental health professionals. Many do not realize that the stigma associated with mental health is deep-rooted in the history of military combat and was placed there purposely. 

Military personnel has faced mental health stigma since ancient times. Military members are afraid they will be seen as weak; lose the respect and trust of their peers and leadership if they seek mental health help. These soldiers then lose respect for themselves even if they do not seek help and live with shame. The military culture possesses little tolerance for weakness, including mental health issues. Before the enlightenment period, commanders had little choice but to execute soldiers for cowardice. 

In the American Civil War, soldiers having mental health issues were given labels such as "soldier's heart," "irritable heart," and "sunstroke," showing some compassion for their plight. During World War, I shell shock was the word. After WWI, Germany struggled due to the cost of paying disability compensation and their debt. In 1916, the German association for psychiatry convened and decided that those exposed to a traumatic stressor could only occur with those having "hysteria." Hysteria was the chosen word to be intentionally stigmatizing for male soldiers who felt it was a feminizing term. 

The de-medicated model adopted in 1916 became a barrier to shame. The rates of wartime psychiatric evacuation have steadily decreased since then from 10% during WWII, 3.7% in Korea, and barely 1.2% in Vietnam. There is evidence from the Vietnam veterans that this model did not prevent long-term disability. In 1952 the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-I) and DSM-II published in 1968 included the term hysteria as a synonym for over-reactive and various disorders, including anxiety and dissociative disorders. In the 1980s, the DSM-III started turning away from the prior medical model, reducing the stigma associated with acute distress. The DSM-IV added additional criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) requirements, including terror, horror, or helplessness. This wording was intended to soften the rhetoric about PTSD. 

During WWII, the military made a massive and expensive attempt to screen out those with mental health issues. Even with this effort, the military failed to prevent large numbers of combat stress casualties. This stress spread through all military branches and all theaters of operation. It was confirmed in Italy in 1944 that all those exposed to constant combat exposure became a psychiatric causality after 210 days of continuous combat exposure.

Recently neurobiological studies have shown that intense, prolonged stress can inflict literal injuries to the brain refuting the personal weakness theory of the past. Still, male soldiers and veterans feel they are weak because of their status in society as being masculine. Men who join the military are very likely to present as hyper-masculine individuals even before military training. This training traditionally turns to established masculine gender norms. Seeking help may interfere with those norms, putting veterans at odds with seeking mental health care and producing excessive dependence on self-reliance. Seeking mental health care is seen as weak by 55 to 65% of recently deployed veterans, causing veterans who expressed distress problems; these men tend to avoid behaviors associated with trauma recovery, including social outreach, coping, and emotional processing.

Hyper-vigilant behavior is often synonymous with individuals having PTSD. Veterans with PTSD attempt to reduce perceived danger, take control over their environment or behavior, and adapt this control to their lives. Resistance to change concerning treatment interferes with the masculine ideal of self-control. Even with that said, masculinity may play a positive part in PTSD treatment. The experience of fear and anxiety may push the veteran into treatment because fear and anxiety are not traditional masculine behavior. Combat veterans show a complex relationship between PTSD and masculinity. Positive and negative effects have the potential to use male behavior to its advantage. A greater understanding of how they interact is essential. Masculine behaviors have the potential to possess positive and negative effects on their recovery. The possibility is that the traditional male behaviors may be dismayed because they feel unmanly because of fear and anxiety brought on by PTSD, exacerbating the symptoms causing them to seek mental health help. Recently studies have shown that self-stigma has become a significant issue with veterans and military members who struggle to ask for mental health help because of the stigma associated with it.

For questions or comments, you can contact me at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit my website at www.afterdutyvets.com, and subscribe to my YouTube channel After Duty Vets or like us on Facebook at After Duty Vets.    

Veterans Lived History

I was talking to a client the other day about the reasons he started writing. This client has been with me for a couple of years. He is a Vietnam Veteran and struggled with re-living those memories through nightmares. He came to me having nightmares that were keeping him awake for years. His night terrors had gotten excessively worse as he aged. He has been recently writing stories about Vietnam, but most of his stories are about his life. Veterans fail to understand we are history; we have been a part of history. Even if you never deployed or went overseas, you have stories, some funny, some tragic. These stories need to be told.

People ask me when I talk about writing why it is so important? Writing holds the key to the past. Writing is very therapeutic. I have seen on numerous occasions where writing has helped someone with PTSD. Writing helps you get their feelings down on paper and get it out, so it does not stay bottled up. It also enables you to be in the here and now. You are focused on your story and not your PTSD symptoms. Nothing says you must write about your trauma. Your writing could be about history, fantasies, your family, or your experiences. Writing can be about anything. Because I love history, I choose to write stories about people and places.  

Playing our part to help understand history and what life was like is crucial. I know multiple researchers who write history books solely using letters and stories from average veterans and everyday people. These books or full of details of what life was truly like years ago. Part of the issue that we're struggling with now is the lack of history in schools. No one wants to learn history anymore. Most of us don't realize the importance of history until we age and start looking back into our family's history, wondering where we came from. When you're a teenager, you really take elders for granted. That needs to change.

Those who study history for a living need our stories for their research. Writing down your stories will play a part in future research. When folks write books about life in the military, your story could be a part of theirs. Documentaries and books tell what life is like during our past wars. Those who are alive now can be a part of the stories told after we are long gone. What the different military bases were like, the living conditions, and even the food. Those who served in the Vietnam era served during a colossal shift in our military history. The military is a lot different now. It started to change direction after the Vietnam War. People need to hear how the Vietnam veterans were treated when they return home and the issues they dealt with while in theatre. Those who served in Europe during the cold war are not talked about. They kept the Russians out of Western Europe, keeping communism from spreading. This goes for everyone who has served in the military. Our lives as military folks will be critical to future research.

I would encourage every veteran to write down their stories. Not everything has to be about the trials and tribulations of war. The stories can be about the funny things you saw and did, the practical joke you pulled, and the stupid people you served with. You can talk about the different cultures coming together. Our stories can help inform those who research history on how things were. I believe it is vital for everyone to understand history. What's in the school history books are usually inaccurate and only tell one side of the story. It is crucial that we have a "Paul Harvey moment" and tell the “rest of the story.” Write your history down so you can be immortalized and appreciated by society and leave your mark in this great country.

  For questions or comments, you can contact me at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit my website at www.afterdutyvets.com, and subscribe to my YouTube channel After Duty Vets or like us on Facebook at After Duty Vets.    

We Need to Protect Each other

I was wearing my veteran hat in the grocery store the other day, and a gentleman came up and said thank you for your service. I am sorry about the idiot in Washington. This gentleman was not wearing a mask and not respecting my personal space. I thanked him and politely told him what I thought about the idiot in Washington. He scoffed, threw his hand towards me, and walked away. I am struggling with the way people are acting in the country. We appear to have lost our respect for each other. 

 I cannot understand why people must behave so negatively when they disagree with someone else. This type of division is not what I spent 20 years in the Air Force supporting and upholding. I respect everybody's rights to have their opinion. Unfortunately, I am not given the same respect. When you thank me or anyone else, do not assume they agree with you about politics. The United States was founded on disagreements and compromise, embrace the difference. Meaningful and respectful conversations fix disputes, including the controversy over the pandemic.  

 Because so many veterans in the United States have diabetes due to Agent Orange, I cannot understand why veterans choose not to heed medical professionals' warnings about the pandemic. With all the vaccinations we received in the military, some of them not FDA approved for humans in my case, I cannot understand how this is different. In the military, we were required to get vaccines. All the vaccines and experimental medications they pumped into our bodies are no different than the Covid-19 vaccine. I believe the Covid-19 vaccine is needed because there is an actual virus, not one that might be used against us in theatre. I just don't get it. As one of my clients put it concerning the covid-19 vaccine, "it's science, people." It is not that difficult.

 When it comes to wearing masks, I don't get it either. I hate wearing one myself. But I also hated wearing chemical warfare suits, going to PT, dealing with the weight program, and following stupid orders. I did it because that's what was best for everyone concerned, including me. When scientists say wearing a mask and getting vaccinated will end this pandemic. Why are we refusing to do what's best for society? 

 I hear people complaining that requiring them to wear a mask is taking away their freedom. There is no difference in making someone wear shoes and shirts in restaurants and grocery stores. Does it suck to wear a mask? You bet it does. How does being told to wear a mask impede your freedoms? What you are doing by not wearing a mask is infringing on everyone's freedoms, especially those with underlying health conditions. It takes away their freedom to go where they want without fear of getting sick and possibly dying because someone refuses to wear a mask. If you are going to discuss freedoms, you need to examine the freedoms for everybody, not just what you want. Not wearing a mask, in my opinion, is selfish. 

 If I am wrong about mask-wearing, we are inconvenienced. If someone who refuses to wear a mask is wrong, people can die. How would things have gone if you were in a chemical warfare environment and told to put on your gas mask and refused? During

Desert Storm, I was told my choices were to get anthrax, botulism, and whatever else they gave me or go home and wait for an article 15. I had a choice, and I chose to stay. I would have been denied re-enlistment and not been able to provide for them. I placed them first. To me, this is no different. 

 I have a wife at home who has medical issues. I do not go inside locations without my mask. She stays at home because people refuse to wear masks. This takes away her freedoms. If you do not want to get the vaccine or wear a mask, that is your choice, but everyone must deal with the possible consequences of your choice, not just you. We all have options. I choose to do what's best for our society and my family. All I would ask is for everyone to do what's best also. You can thank me for my service by wearing a mask and getting the covid-19 vaccine, so this crap can be over with. I want my life back without fear of catching a virus that can kill my family or me because I went to the grocery store. 

For questions or comments, you can contact me at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit my website at www.afterdutyvets.com, and subscribe to my YouTube channel After Duty Vets or like us on Facebook at After Duty Vets.