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.

Home Front Pilots were Trailblazers

Micky was among a large contingent of WWII test pilot for the Army Air Corps needed for various duties at home. They flew freshly completed and repaired aircraft from the factory giving them “shakedown flights” to ensure they were safe for pilots overseas fighting the war. They trained Air Corps cadets to fly, they also developed advanced attack tactics to be used in war because little was known about air power and how it could be effective on the battlefield. Each type and model of aircraft were different, their strengths and weaknesses needed to be exposed and these elite pilots completed that task. They also had one of the most dangerous jobs in the Army Air Corps, they flew aircraft towing targets for cadets and trainees to shoot live rounds at. The cadet pilots and trainee gunners had little to no experience flying their aircraft let alone shooting at a moving target. Less dangerous jobs included flying aircraft to locations throughout the United States for the lend/lease program for our allies to pick up during the war. These pilots were not militarized, they were not allowed to be a part of the militarized Air Corps. They were looked down upon by many higher ups and war pilots because they were civil service employees and not soldiers.

These pilots did not have a glamorous job, but were as important as those fighting the war. They were required to pay their own way to the bases they worked from, including their training sites. When they were killed they were not given the military burial. Their families were responsible for the cost of the burial if they died during their service and fellow pilots were known to take up a collection to have their bodies delivered to their families. Their coffins were not allowed to be draped with the American Flag, although some unofficially were done by family and friends. These pilots were an elite group of flyers that served their country with distinction. They did this duty because they wanted to fly and be a part of the success of the war effort.

Each of these pilots had a license. They were trained to be “Army Pilots”. Their training paralled the training of aviation cadets even though they were not trained for combat roles or to fly in formation. Even though they developed and tested attack angles and tactics, they did receive extensive instructions to maneuver the aircrafts and recover from just about any scenario. These pilots flew every aircraft imaginable even testing rocket propelled aircraft. The only difference between these pilots and other pilots was they were female. Micky was Mildred D. Tuttle-Axton, a female Civil Service pilot during WWII. During WWII over 25,000 women applied to be US pilots and only 1,830 were accepted with 1,074 continued on to be trained as Women’s Air force Service Pilots (WASP). Thirty eight female pilots lost their lives while doing their part for the war effort.

During WWII every American felt the pinch of the war. Everyone knew someone in the war. Every family felt the loss of a family member, friend or acquaintance. During WWII over 16.1 million men served in the armed forces. An estimated 276,000 females preformed non-combat roles with another 74,000 nurses. During the war there were 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 capacity, everyone had a part to play including pilots at home. Where there were male test pilots, the women pilots freed men up to fly into battle.   

These women were not accepted during WWII. Women did not belong in the military unless they were nurses. Many men scoffed at women joining the Army or doing “men’s jobs”. It appeared our society was not ready for women to serve, but necessity prevailed and women finally became a part of the American WWII military war machine. Women have always joined the fight, many dressed as men during the US Civil war to serve their country, but to many men the military was no place for a woman. With the history of women being successful in the military it is hard to see why women in “battle” is such a controversial topic, they have always been there. Even with the backing of men such as General Eisenhower, Fleet Admiral Nimitz, and Air Corps General “Hap” Arnold backing the female WWII pilots our society still struggles with this to this day. Things are changing, a study in 2011 showed females represent 14% of the active duty force and 20% of new recruits. They also represent 5.5% of the veteran population.

It was not until November of 1977 that these female pilots were given veterans status. In May of 1979 the US Air Force issued its first honorable discharges for WASP pilots serving during WWII. The female Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Coast Guard, and Marines that serve today owe a great deal of admiration and respect of their foremothers. They were the original SHEROS that served our country with honor. As one WWII WASP stated, the aircraft does not notice the sex of the pilot, it notices good and bad pilots. I bet a rifle feels the same way, it knows a good shot from a bad one!

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.

It’s Time for an Emotional Reset for Vietnam Veterans

While in the store yesterday wearing my Veteran’s hat I was approached by a gentleman and told “thanks for your service and fighting for our freedoms”. It’s always great to hear from those that thank me and it happens quite frequently. What happened about five minutes later caught me off guard. A gentleman named Larry walked up and said, I saw the guy thank you, man have times changed. Larry was right, times have changed. Larry went in the Army in 1974 and retired after 22 years. He had seen the ups and downs of the military. He told me stories about his time in and how they were treated when he first went in the military, it was not good. He did not serve in Vietnam but served with many who did and like me was upset by the way they were treated when they returned home.

The Vietnam veterans were spit on, called baby killers, murders, rapist, and other things that can’t be published upon their returned home. Larry had never seen Vietnam but was treated the same because he wore the uniform. The Vietnam era veterans have been treated with little respect over the years. It feels to me that times have changed and a thank you is long overdue.

The Vietnam Veterans are a great bunch of people who continue to be treated questionably by the system.  Most of the Vietnam veterans have spent their lives working and providing for their families with little or no fanfare. Some delved into their work to mask their problems and emotions. Others fought the system working with organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), American Legion, and American Veterans (AMVETS) and other veteran organizations. Vietnam veterans are at or getting to retirement age, as they retire they are starting to struggle. From what I have seen as they retire they have more time to look back and question what they had to do during war. It appears that Vietnam veterans are finally finding it acceptable to get mental health help and are seeking that help. It also appears they are coming out of the woodwork to get help because the post 9-11 veterans have made it ok for them to seek mental health treatment.

Vietnam Veterans are a major part of why today’s veterans are treated with respect like they are. After Desert Storm Vietnam veterans are the ones who made sure we were welcomed home. One Vietnam veteran told me when I returned from Desert Storm “there was no way you were going to be treated like us”. We were not going to let it happen! They are the ones that go to the airports and welcome home todays soldiers returning from deployment. They are the reason there is a diagnosis for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and made sure Gulf war syndrome was recognized by the Veterans Administration (VA) after they spent over 20 years fighting over Agent Orange. They are responsible for many of veteran’s benefits today. The Vietnam veterans fought for the recent veterans and the future of all veterans, as recent veterans it is our time to take care of and support them.

My challenge to all veterans is to purchase a veterans hat or shirt and wear it with pride so people can let you know that they appreciate your service to our country. You have earned it! All of those who took the oath are veterans and deserve the accolades, so this Veterans Day wear your veteran items with pride, and continue to wear it, you have earned the thank you. From a Desert Storm veteran to all veterans, thank you for your service. I challenge everyone to take time to thank those who have worn the uniform and fought for your freedoms when you see them.  It is time for an emotional reset for our Vietnam veterans. Show them times have changed and they are appreciated.

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.

VA Employees Don’t Feel Safe in Their Jobs

Most veterans that have walked into the Veterans Administration (VA) have felt there are people who work there don’t care. The reality is, most VA employees do care but are limited in what they can legally do.  Henry was a student of mine that works at the VA. He is retired from the Navy after serving over 24 years and wanted to continue serving by helping his brothers and sisters after retirement. Over time we had several discussions about the VA and how they operated. There were times he felt the need to discuss an issue with his superiors but was scared to for fear of losing his job. Whether his fear was real or perceived he did not feel safe. Henry felt trapped and limited to what he could do for hid patients. He worried that if he tried to change things or spoke up he might lose his job, if he didn’t do anything his fellow veteran might suffer. This is tough position to be in. Before we start blaming the individuals who work at the VA hospitals or the hospitals themselves, we need to look at the system they are forced to work in.     

We have all been appalled at the recent events at the VA. I have had the pleasure to know several employees at the Loma Linda VA. They are good people with a good heart. The problem is they don’t feel safe in their jobs and struggle to tell the truth about problems that exist. There are a lot of layers an employee must go through to reach someone that can make any changes, if changes can be changed at all. Many employees hesitate to “run something up the flag pole” for fear of being labeled a non-team player or trouble maker. This can make a VA employee’s life difficult at work if not cost them their job, so they do what their told and don’t make waves.

From an employee standpoint, they need to feel they can raise concern when warranted. The head of the VA hospital needs to let everyone know it’s safe and give credit to those who does what’s right and speaks up. Giving VA executives bonuses for doing their job seems inappropriate. It would be difficult for anyone to “not fudge the numbers” for the bonus, its human nature.  Why doesn’t the VA pay executives a set wage and incorporate the bonuses into their pay? Why tempt someone to cheat? These are questions only congress can answer. Issues between veterans and congress go back to the 1780’s. What we are hearing now about the VA is nothing new, every decade has had its problems. Congress makes the rules the employees must adhere to. Congresses inability to delegate power to VA management is a major part of the problem.   

Ex-secretary of defense Robert Gates discussed in his book “Duty” how entrenched the personnel employed by the VA are to their norm. He feels the people at the VA are generally good people but the system is broken. As Secretary Gates pointed out, congress hold allot of the blame when it comes to the VA system, it literally takes an act of congress to make any changes within the system, which basically means good luck. Since secretary Gate’s book has been released congress has attempted to make some changes.

The feeling of safety starts at the top. The President, Congress, The Secretary of Veterans affairs, and individual hospital administrators need to provide a feeling of safety for the employees when they raise an issue with the system. One of the major complaints from veterans is many employees at the VA are not veterans themselves. Veteran members of congress has dropped drastically from a peak of 80% in 1977 to 19% in 2013. The VA also employees a large quantity of civilians, fueling the debate. Money is not the problem, employees not feeling safe in their work environment is a huge part of the problem. Its time congress removes politics from the VA and put the right people in place to make the VA a safe place to receive care and work. Congress is the only ones that can make the drastic changes that the VA needs. Congress needs to give the power to make changes to the people who operate the VA and hold them accountable. It’s time to get the politics out of the VA.  

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.

Today’s Veterans Owe Allot to our Predecessors

Kevin walked up to me one day and started talking about his time during the Vietnam War. As he continued to talk his demeanor changed when he started discussing his health and the Veterans Administration (VA).  He had been drafted into the military and started having problems as he got older. Like many Vietnam veterans he suffers from diabetes, a presumptive illness for Vietnam Veterans caused by Agent Orange. A presumptive disease is where the VA assumes there are certain diseases that can be directly related to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam and Chemical weapons, oil smoke, and vaccines in Gulf War veterans.  He believes his exposure to Agent Orange is the cause of his diabetes, but after numerous attempts the VA has failed to give him his benefits. According to the VA, veterans who develop type 2 diabetes mellitus and were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service do not have to prove a connection between their diabetes and military service to be eligible to receive disability compensation. You would think Kevin would qualify for this disability according to the VA’s own words. The only problem is Kevin was never sent to Vietnam. He was in the Air Force stationed at one of the six air bases in Thailand where he handled Agent Orange while loading it onto aircraft to be dispersed, but the VA denies his claims. According to the VA those that served in Thailand on or near the perimeters of military bases between 2/28/61 to 5/7/75 may qualify for VA benefits, may being the key word. Kevin falls into the category, but the VA is attributing his diabetes to age, not the presumptive of Agent Orange exposure.

This is not the first I have heard of this type of situation. It seems to be the person with the best advocate, not the claim that helps get benefits. Multiple veteran groups like the American Legion, VFW, and the DAV have advocates on staff.  It appears to be the luck of the draw if you go it alone. As I was researching this situation I read a story about two Navy buddies that were on the same ship at the same time off the coast of Vietnam. Both filed a claim for diabetes, one received the benefits and one was denied. The problem seems to not be with the people of the VA but the inconsistency of the VA system and training. As long as humans are handling these claims, there will be inconsistency.

Another case that seems to not make since is the VA is not accepting some claims from Vietnam veterans with PTSD because it did not exist. According to some in the VA it is not possible for a Vietnam veteran to have PTSD because it was not in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) at the time. Instead of PTSD they used either combat neurosis or Post-Vietnam Syndrome which was not compensable. What is disturbing is Vietnam veterans were used to provide information for the establishment of the PTSD criteria in the DSM. If not for the Vietnam veterans it is possible the advancements we have today on PTSD would not exist. Even though the VA used them to establish PTSD guidelines some claims are still being denied because the diagnosis was not established until 1980.

This era of veterans owe allot to our predecessors. As a Desert Storm veteran I am well aware of who made sure we were treated with respect when we returned home. They are the main force behind the respect veteran’s receive today. They have laid the groundwork for us to follow and the ones used to prove PTSD existed.  They continue to fight for veteran’s rights every day. They made sure there are presumptive diseases with the VA. Our era of veterans has presumptive diseases because the Vietnam era veterans fought and continue to fight for our rights.

We must remember the Korean War veterans were generally ignored, and the Vietnam veterans were treated poorly and are still fighting for what is right. Peacetime veterans are totally overlooked by the VA and many in the community. Most did not get free school, some are getting denied for Agent Orange and PTSD claims. It is because of their fights and sacrifices that veterans have what we have today. As a recent veteran I remind myself every day of what our veterans have had to endure for us to have what we have. When you see a WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Peace time, or Granada veteran be sure and thank them for the benefits you have, and will continue to have. They are still fighting for veteran’s rights! It’s our turn to pick up the flag and move forward!  

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.

Desert Storm Veterans have the Highest Causality Rate of any Prior War to Date

In the military, you meet people who become a part of your life for the rest of your life. Even if you served your four years or a lifer most veterans have bonds that are unbreakable. Since we were not around our bio-families while stationed at different military bases or deployed, we developed families of choice.  We were there for marriages, divorces, births, deaths, through good times and bad. We are family! Dave and Paula was a part of my family, to explain their influence on all they touched would take a book. Dave and I went in the Air Force a month apart, we had the same Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC), or MOS in the Army, and we also retired a month apart and had allot of the same friends. Our careers took a similar path and we ended up at the same assignment our last four years, instructor duty.

Dave like I was a Desert Storm Veteran. He was also in Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia when their living quarters were attacked by terrorist in 1996. Nineteen were killed and Dave was one of the hundreds injured. He was told he had earned a purple heart, which he refused, others were killed or injured worse, he felt he did not deserve it. Dave dealt with those injuries for the rest of his life never complaining. Only those that new him well new about his injuries. The last time I saw Dave was when another friend, who was stationed with us, was killed in a car accident. Like usual he flew from Ohio to console the family of our friend. None of us knew he would be the next to leave us. Unfortunately we lost Dave to Pancreatic cancer on March 1, 2012. He was a good friend who is discussed every time I talk to anyone that knew him, to say we miss him is an understatement.

Many don’t realize that the largest causality rate of veterans are those from Desert Storm. One in four Desert Storm Veterans is on disability. In contrast WWII veterans are at 8.6% Korean Veterans are at 5% and Vietnam Veterans are at 9.6%. There presently are no real numbers available for the most recent OEF/OIF veterans since they are so fresh from theatre. There are wide-ranging beliefs from doctors and scientist as to what caused such a high causality rate but no one knows for sure, mainly because of poor record keeping during Desert Storm.   

In numerous studies the issue that keeps arising is the lack of decent record keeping during Desert Shield / Storm deployments. This raises allot of questions for many of us who were there. Because of the rapid deployment many rules went out the window, record keeping being one of them. When we were given vaccinations in theatre we gave the Doc our shot records to document the shots. We were told “we’re not doing that” so our shots went undocumented. There was a group of us who deployed together that questioned this tactic and vowed to stay in touch in case we needed validation of the “Undocumented Shots”. We protested and was told our options were to be sent back and receive an article 15 (non-judicial punishment) for failure to follow a direct order or take the vaccination, we chose to stay.

The lack of proper record keeping, for security reasons, keeping us in the dark, or just being intentionally sloppy or vague by design is a major reason many scientist and doctors can’t find a good cause for GWI (Gulf War Illness). There are no accurate records available to study concerning the drugs we were given or chemicals we were subjected to.  There seems to be a clear association specifically with anthrax vaccine and GWI symptoms in our British and Canadian veteran allies, but the VA does not accept their findings. There was also three-fold increased incidence of GWI in non-deployed veterans from Kansas who had been vaccinated in preparation for deployment, compared to non-deployed, non-vaccinated veterans.

There are signs that Desert Storm veterans and their families need to be on the lookout for. The most common complaints have been fatigue, skin rash, headache, and muscle and joint pain, forgetfulness, sleep disturbance, shortness of breath, and chest pains. These symptoms, which result in varying degrees of incapacitation, have not been localized to any one organ system, or any single specific disease. The bottom line is no one is sure of anything because of poor record keeping among other things.

I am not sure if Dave’s death is a part of Desert Storm or Khobar Towers. What I do know is there are six Desert Storm Veterans that I am aware of, that have died of cancer at a young age and a few more that have had cancer and beat it, so far. It might be a normal part of life and nothing to do with Military service. But there are tractable statistics that Desert Storm veterans have a higher causality rate than WWII, Korea, and Vietnam veterans combined. Why? That is a good question. Desert Storm Veterans are struggling more than any group before them, and most people are unaware. It feels to us we are being over looked because they really do not know what to do and don’t want to spend the money to find out or deal with it. A host of Desert Storm veterans feel this is an Agent Orange coverup all over again, including denial.  Time will tell if the IEF/OIF veterans have as many problems. My guess is they will because of the multiple deployments and increased knowledge of battlefield medicine which limits the number of deaths. The new vets will probably suffer more than we have because of the time they spent in theatre. The bottom line is all veterans need to address any situation if there is a remote possibility of a problem. The issues might not come around for years, don’t minimize it. Family members need to press the issue if need be. Most veterans will do it for their families and not themselves.

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.

Dishonorable Discharge

I first met George about 9 months ago. He was in one of the first units sent into battle in Fallujah Iraq. He continues to carry those days with him. He had been a fast burner in the Army, making the rank of E-5 in 3 years. In war he saw and did things that no one should have to. Anyone who has been to war understands. While he was in theatre he did not believe the sleeping problems and the hyper-vigilance was an issue, he thought it was normal. He thought those horrific dreams would go away. What he didn’t know was those dreams and feelings would follow him home. 

George returned home to a hero’s welcome organized by Vietnam Veterans. When he returned he did not feel like a hero. He felt guilt and pain from the things he had to do and see.  He was happy to see his wife and 18 month old son, the happiness wouldn’t last. His inability to sleep caused him to start drinking more and more. He feared his wife would look at him differently if he told her about his pain and what he had to do on the battlefield, so he never talked to her about it. His temper got worse, scaring his wife. He feared getting help from mental health would end his career. What would his wife think? What would his comrades think? Was George crazy? What would his First Sergeant and Commander think?  Drinking is acceptable in Military culture, getting mental health is not. As his marriage declined he drank more and started spending time with his war buddies. It wasn’t long before he started missing formation and drills. His first sergeant talked to him, but it did no good, he was in an internal struggle with the guilt and pain of what he had to do in Fallujah.

As he continued to decline his wife left, it finally got to the point where alcohol was the only thing that made the pain go away. Everything came to a head with a DUI. His First Sergeant and Commander had seen enough, they gave him a dishonorable discharge. Now George has child support, no job, a drinking problem, nowhere to live, little prospect of a future, and no VA benefits because of his dishonorable discharge. He considered suicide on several occasions, but he could not go through with it.

Unfortunately this is not an abnormal case, this is really happening to veterans. It is impossible to go to war and come back the same person. In a lot of cases families and commanders are ill prepared to deal with mental health issues. To families it is a safety concern. To commanders it’s their job to do what is best for their troops, their unit, and the military. Once George was kicked out he became homeless, he burned his bridges due to his drinking, and he had nowhere to go.

George was fortunate to run into a Veteran that had contacts that could help him. I spent some time with him trying to get him to get help. Veterans are stubborn, asking for help is not on their radar, another veteran stands a better chance at getting a veteran help than civilians, veterans trust veterans. Many veterans do not know the military is taking another look at dishonorable discharges because of PTSD and self-medicating. George’s case is a good example of what can happen when a soldier does not get help. The military is re-looking at dishonorable discharges like Georges to possibly upgrade them so they can receive their earned benefits. Part of the problem is some veterans do not trust the system, why should they? The system put them where they are. I was able to help him apply for the upgrade. He contacted his brother for an address to use.

Help is there for these veterans if they know where to look. There is housing available for homeless veterans and agencies for mental health help if the veteran is willing to spend time and look. Depression can set in during these types of situations and the veteran needs help. Contacting the local American Legion, AMVETS, DAV, or VFW, is a good start for their upgrade, usually they have some answers.  If the veteran or the person helping them get help hits resistance keep trying. Some veterans look at dishonorable discharges as a disgrace, they do not know or believe this could have been them under different circumstances. Let’s give our wounded warriors the help they deserve.

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.