Deployment
Homefront Encouragement
Homefront Resources
Send us your stories!
PTSD - Books (Christian)
Organizations that help
There are many resources throughout Operation We Are Here for military personnel, but this listing targets organizations that specifically reach out to our military with PTSD. Here is a topical listing of the resources below:
Anonymous screening
Blogs
Christian encouragement
Connection and support
Coping
Counseling
Curriculum
Employment
Family and friends list of fact sheets
Guide for returning military personnel
Homeless
Hotline
Organizations
Outdoor recreation
Resources
Therapy, dogs
Therapy, horses
Therapy, music
Transportation
Vacation, R&R
Women veterans with PTSD
Anonymous screening - Military Pathways
Military life, especially deployments or mobilizations, can present challenges to service members and their families that are both unique and difficult. Some are manageable, some are not. Many times we can successfully deal with them on our own. In some instances matters get worse and one problem can trigger other more serious issues. At such times it is wise to check things out and see what is really happening. That’s the purpose of these totally anonymous and voluntary self-assessments.
These questions are designed so you can review your situation with regard to some of the more common mental health issues. The screening will not provide a diagnosis – for that you need to see a professional. But, it will tell you whether or not you have symptoms that are consistent with a condition or concern that would benefit from further evaluation or treatment. It will also give you guidance as to where you might seek assistance.
Blogs - Marine Wife Unplugged
I am the wife of a Wounded Marine. The entries contain my inmost thoughts, desires, hopes, struggles, and dreams. When you read something that you think needs professional or medical attention, don't seek it for me, because it's already been sought out. If you can't handle the subject matter, don't read it. This is my only place to "let it all out" and to hear from other Marine wives who go through similar. It feels like I'm alone here sometimes, but now I know I'm not.
I am married to a US Marine – an 0311 grunt/ Intel. Interpreter. He was med-evac'd on his 2nd Iraq tour for Psychosis, a TBI, severe PTSD, & a blood clot in his brain on top of it all. Memory loss, balance loss, numbness, aggression, & all those lovely PTSD symptoms WERE part of our lives in full throttle. Medically retired & 60% disabled in Dec. 08, we were then forced to become "happy civilians." We both battled depression, isolation, & general distaste for civilians, & were told counseling was only for veterans. Communication was a total standstill sometimes, as I wondered where the man I married went. This blog started out as a closet of desperate thoughts, but transparency, prayer & humility made the difference. Our marriage healed. My husband healed! With God on our side, we got through it. I am a SAHM to our wonderful baby. All we want to do now is get back in the military, but some people say it is too much to hope for. We want that hope, & we want it forever. I wake up every day thinking, "God, my husband is a walking miracle. Can I be that for him?"
Christian encouragement - Combat Faith
The Combat Faith web site is dedicated as a Christian encouragement and education site for individuals who wish to strengthen their faith in God, for those with challenging and serious issues related to relationship struggles, substance abuse, and alcoholism, and also for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) from combat experiences.
Connection and support - Loved Ones of Combat Veterans (PTSD & TBI Support)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are unseen and often misunderstood injuries seen all too commonly in our combat veterans. There is little in the way of resources for the families of these veterans so this group is to help support those who support our veterans.
What is PTSD and TBI? The Group lists an abbreviated version of two very complicated, combat related issues with a few tips to help make things better for them and for you. Also includes "Things That Can Help", "Things That Can Hurt", and "What Can Family and Friends Do to Help Their Veteran."
Connection and support - Not Alone
Find other warriors adn families experiencing life after war
Not Alone started in 2008 when a group of warriors and professionals discovered a significant gap in the government's capacity to help warriors and their families come home from war. There needed to be a confidential online community where those warriors could congregate to help each other. Our personal experiences with war trauma led us to reach out to those that need help.
Not Alone draws on a unique group of individuals with personal experience in the Iraq and Afghanistan war. We have been in your shoes. We have struggled to regain our lives and to find the new normal at home. Professionals, warriors and experts have been vital in helping to bring the Not Alone vision into reality. We've been through the experience of war and returning home from war and hope that our persistence, experience and passion can help others in their journey as well. We understand. We get it.
Connection and support - Point Man Ministries
Since 1984, when Seattle Police Officer and Vietnam Veteran Bill Landreth noticed he was arresting the same people each night, he discovered most were Vietnam vets like himself that just never seemed to have quite made it home. He began to meet with them in coffee shops and on a regular basis for fellowship and prayer. Soon, Point Man Ministries was conceived and became a staple of the Seattle area. Bill's untimely death soon after put the future of Point Man in jeopardy.
However, Chuck Dean, publisher of a Veterans self help newspaper, Reveille, had a vision for the ministry and developed it into a system of small groups across the USA for the purpose of mutual support and fellowship. These groups are known as Outposts. Worldwide there are hundreds of Outposts and Homefront groups serving the families of veterans.
PMIM is run by veterans from all conflicts, nationalities and backgrounds. Although, the primary focus of Point Man has always been to offer spiritual healing from PTSD, Point Man today is involved in group meetings, publishing, hospital visits, conferences, supplying speakers for churches and veteran groups, welcome home projects and community support. Just about any where there are Vets there is a Point Man presence. All services offered by Point Man are free of charge.
Connection and support - PTSD Anonymous
Veterans talking with veterans - "you are not alone." A future network of local self-help groups
Connection and support - Vets Meet Vets
Our Mission is to connect Recent Veterans with our Seasoned Veterans and the services of their local area. For our Veteran and Families to know that 'they are not alone!.
Case for Action:
Without support a returning Veteran will withdraw from family, friends, community and life itself. The support services currently offered to a Veteran are typically designed to help them survive tough times (very reactive).
With our increased involvement in conflicts around the world the number of Veteran issues will only increase and their suicide rate will continue to rise.
Our focus is to be much more proactive and create a community that surrounds our returning heroes so that they not only survive...they thrive.
Coping - After Deployment
Our mission is to help you and your loved ones manage the challenges that are often faced following a deployment.
Here you will find information and self-guided solutions for dealing with post-traumatic stress and war memories; conflict at work; depression; anger; sleep problems; alcohol and drug abuse; stress; relationship problems; kids and deployment; spiritual guidance and fitness; living with physical injuries; and health and wellness.
Coping - Family of a Vet
This site is dedicated to you... whether you're a Veteran or someone who loves a Veteran. It was created trying to figure out how to handle the "after shocks" of combat including PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). We're here to help you find your way, find the information you need, and find a way not only to cope with life after combat... but to survive and thrive!
Coping - PTSD Program Locater
This site can help you find a VA PTSD program near you.
Counseling - Returning Vets Project
Free counseling for returning veterans and their families (Oregon, SW Washington)To Returning Veterans - We recognize that returning to civilian life can be full of both physical and psychological challenges. Our providers have volunteered to give you the care you need to come all the way back home.
To Active Duty Military Personnel, Reservists, and National Guard Members - An upcoming deployment or redeployment can be extremely stressful as you face unknown challenges and separation from loved ones. Whether before your deployment or while you're on leave, our providers are ready to serve you.
To Military Family Members and Survivors - Having a loved one deployed for military action is one of the hardest things a family can face. Here at the Returning Veterans Project, we want to support you before, during, and after their war-zone service. In addition to professional adult therapists, we also have specialists in children's, couples and family therapy to help you.
Counseling - Give an Hour
Free mental health services to U.S. military personnel and their families affected by the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Counseling - Hidden Wounds
Helping heroes battle the invisible war at home.
The mission of Hidden Wounds, a non-profit organization headquartered in Columbia, SC, is to provide temporary counseling and support to military personnel afflicted with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or other such mental ailments until such time as the Veteran’s Administration or the Veteran’s Affairs agencies are prepared to deliver long term services to our clients through government programs.
Counseling - The Soldiers Project
We are a group of licensed mental health professionals who offer free psychological treatment to military service members (active duty, National Guard, Reserves and veterans) who have served or who expect to serve in the conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan. We also provide treatment to members of their families and other loved ones. Treatment is conducted in our private offices. Our therapists are all volunteers and our services are entirely confidential. We do not report to any governmental agency.
Curriculum - Support and Family Education (SAFE) Program
The Support And Family Education (SAFE) Program is an 18-session family education curriculum to support families in dealing with a loved one's PTSD or mental illness. Each session contains didactic information, handouts, discussion questions, and activities. The entire curriculum is available for free download on our website.
Employment - America's Heroes at Work
America's Heroes at Work is a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) project that addresses the employment challenges of returning service members living with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - an important focus of the President's veterans agenda. The project equips employers and the workforce development system with the tools they need to help returning service members affected by TBI and/or PTSD succeed in the workplace - particularly service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Family and Friends List of Fact Sheets - US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
This section provides information about the effects of trauma on families, children, relationships, and communities.
Guide for returning military personnel - Returning from the War Zone
Homeless - National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
If you are a homeless veteran or a veteran at risk of becoming homeless, these pages provide information that you can use to seek help. They include addresses, phone numbers and websites to find out about services, programs and other help that is available.
Hotline - PTSD Rapid Response Line (PTSD Foundation of America)
1-800-444-6006
Today more than ever there is a need for support... PTSD is a real problem that needs strong answers. If we can come together to face this disorder head-on we can address the issues that need our care and attention the most. Let's work together to manage this illness and give our troops the respect and support they need and deserve.
Organizations - A Different Path
Strives for quality content that brings the purpose and mission of A Different Path to bare on the importance of raising awareness, diagnosising, finding treatment, finding forgiveness, and finally finding a healing for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
As a Veteran of the United States Marine Corp, a Survivor of the October 23rd 1983 Marine Barracks Bombing in Beirut Lebanon, and a long term sufferer of the symptons of PTSD there are two important things I want to give back to my fellow Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors in today's Military and Veterans. One, having lived with untreated PTSD for 25 plus years I want to share my story in a way that removes the stigma associated with receiving treatment. That there is a Different Path to take, which involves sharing with others what you experienced, how it made you feel then and now, accepting that experience as part of you now, dealing with the pain and utimately forgiveness for those that caused the pain. Two, I want to share my experiences with PTSD and through my own Testimony about the saving grace of Jesus Christ show today's Military and Veterans that suffering with PTSD isn't necessary that there is a way to forgiveness not only for our own sin's but for the pain placed in our lives at the hands of others.
Organizations - Hearts Toward Home
Hearts Toward Home International, is a non-profit charitable organization, that has been structured for the purpose of providing support, counseling, training, educational classes, materials, and re-integration and re-adjustment workshop/forums for military personnel (both active duty and veterans) and their families after war-time service.
The activities of “Hearts Toward Home International” are carried out with special emphasis on addressing issues that prevent present military personnel, as well as all war veterans, from re-entering society and having a quality life. The organizational purpose is to come to the aid of those war-fighters who have been exposed to traumatic experiences and who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in military hazard zones. Additionally, HTH International is equipped to train facilitators and counselors in the skills of re-integrating military personnel with loved ones, and the civilian environs to which they return.
Organizations - Iraq War Veterans Organization
The "Iraq War Veterans Organization" was created to organize and represent Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans.
The Iraq War Veterans Organization provides information and support for: Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans, Global War on Terror Veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans, active military personnel and family members related to pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment issues, as well as service member and family Operation Iraqi Freedom Deployment Readiness problems, information about PTSD, Health issues and Veterans Benefits. The Iraq War Veterans Organization website has links to information about Veterans Administration health care, readjustment after deployment, education, employment, military discounts, PTSD issues, support-chat forums, family support and deployment information.
Organizations - National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
The National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD) aims to advance the clinical care and social welfare of U.S. Veterans through research, education and training on PTSD and stress-related disorders. The PTSD Information Center has Fact Sheets and Videos to answer your questions on trauma, PTSD and related issues.
Organizations - Real Warriors
The Real Warriors Campaign is an initiative launched by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) to promote the processes of building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning service members, veterans and their families.
The Real Warriors Campaign combats the stigma associated with seeking psychological health care and treatment and encourages service members to increase their awareness and use of these resources. To reach the broadest audience possible, the campaign features a variety of strategies including outreach and partnerships, print materials, media outreach, an interactive Web site and social media. The campaign features stories of real service members who have sought treatment and are continuing to maintain successful military or civilian careers. In addition, DCoE established the DCoE Outreach Center, a 24/7 call center staffed by health resource consultants to provide confidential answers, tools, tips and resources about psychological health and traumatic brain injury. The Outreach Center can be reached toll-free at 866-966-1020 or via e-mail at resources@dcoeoutreach.org.
Organizations - Re-MIND (Bob Woodruff Family Fund)
The mission of the Bob Woodruff Foundation is to provide resources and support to injured service members, veterans and their families -- building a movement to empower communities nationwide to take action to successfully reintegrate our nation’s injured heroes—especially those who have sustained the Hidden Injuries of War—back into their communities so they may thrive physically, psychologically, socially and economically.
BWF is a national nonprofit that helps ensure our nation’s service members return to a homefront ready to support them. This is accomplished in three key ways:
Through a movement called ReMIND.org — we help educate the public about the needs of service members returning from war… and our nation’s greater responsibility to ensure our heroes and their families receive the support necessary to successfully reintegrate into their communities.
We collaborate with other experts and organizations, at the federal state and local level, to identify and solve issues related to the return of service members from combat to civilian life.
We invest in national and community-based programs that connect our troops to the help they need — from individual needs like physical accommodations, medical care and counseling, to larger social issues like homelessness and suicide.
Together with our partners, supporters, and communities, the Bob Woodruff Foundation is helping heal the physical and psychological wounds of war.
Organizations - Vietnam Veteran Wives
Helping all veterans and their families.
Vietnam Veteran Wives was created to reach out to Veterans, their spouses and families. Vietnam Veteran Wives was created by the wife and widow of a Vietnam Veteran, who saw a much needed area for improvement concerning subjects such as: Benefits for spouses and children, VA Claims, PTSD issues, DIC claims, informing veterans of what benefits are available to them and to their families, after their time in service. In addition to bringing to light the fact that the VA system leaves the Spouse and families of Veterans behind when it comes to services they provide.
Vietnam Veteran Wives is working hard to provide counselors for both individual and families, claims filing, making arrangements for transportation to local VAMC’s, conducting “Stand-Downs” for veterans in rural areas to provide much needed clothing, blankets and socialization for Vets and their families. To provide a resource for Veterans and their spouse’s to turn to for guidance as to the question “where do we go from here”.
One of the main issues is the fact that during “out processing” most veterans do not obtain the knowledge of what is available to them. Vietnam Veteran Wives steps in here to be a solid backbone for the voices of Veterans and their families to turn to for that much needed knowledge and support.
Organizations - Welcome Back Veterans
Welcome Back Veterans (WBV) was created to inspire Americans to give back to our returning veterans and their families. These heroes were there when we needed them--they served us all and kept us safe--and it's our turn to be there for them. WBV is committed to transforming the lives of our returning veterans by changing the way people think and talk about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) while providing ongoing treatment for veterans and their families in addition to funding research.
Outdoor recreation - Operation Injured Soldiers
The goal of Operation Injured Soldiers is to help our wounded heroes get back to doing the sports and hobbies they enjoyed before being deployed. The funds we raise provide hunting, fishing, and camping trips, along with many other outdoor recreational activities, to our disabled heroes to help with their physical and mental rehabilitation. Through corporate sponsorships and individual donations, these trips are provided at no cost to our injured heroes.
Outdoor recreation - Outward Bound
Free veterans expeditions.
Adventure and challenge, solitude, reflection, and renewal, the wilderness has always symbolized a new beginning - a place for discovery and fulfilling adventure. The Outward Bound program for Veterans provides an opportunity for camaraderie and has proven to be a powerful tool helping veterans readjust after leaving the combat zone.
Our newest programs offer numerous wilderness adventures exclusively for war veterans, and are fully funded for all participants, to include their roundtrip stateside travel costs between home and the excursion site. Our goals include helping participating veterans build a supportive community with other war veterans; facilitating discussions on readjustment and transition challenges; and re-energizing and reinvigorating our veterans' spirits with adventures and challenges in the beautiful outdoors.
Outdoor recreation - See also Ideas to Encourage Deployed Military Personnel - Vacation, R&R
Resources - Accepting the Ashes
In a time of war, what happens once a soldier comes home? Accepting the Ashes is for American military men and women, and all those who love them. The book is one daughter’s attempt to increase communication among veteran families so that long-term healing can occur. It does not attempt to diagnose or treat any veteran. It is written from the perspective of an adult daughter, honestly highlighting one man and how PTSD negatively affected him and his family.
In addition to assisting many American families deal with PTSD, Accepting the Ashes is being used by a growing number of VA Chaplains and National Guard Family Readiness Offices around the country to aid their veterans, families and volunteers as they attempt to understand and treat Post Traumatic Stress. Also, the director of the National Chaplain Center has included Accepting the Ashes as a resource for a new program that trains community members around the country to help veterans as they return from Iraq or Afghanistan.
Resources - Families at Ease (Department of Veterans Affairs)
When a loved one returns from military deployment and is troubled by anything from anger to sleep problems, a happy reunion can become a stressful situation. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has resources in place to help your Veteran get the treatment and support he or she needs. All in complete confidence. And all to get your family back on track.
Resources - Mil Health Directory
Milhealth’s Directory is a compilation of carefully selected and evaluated military health information resources. Some of the resources are 'consumer health' appropriate, others are clinical research such as what your physician or health care provider would view.
Carefully researched and evaluated, resources and materials are summarized and arranged in easy to understand subject topics (easy to use), organized (easy access) and maintained (currency).
Resources - PTSD Support
A website with many PTSD resources compiled by a veteran.
Resources - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Has resources for veterans and their families
- Suicide Prevention for Veterans
- Finding Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
- Webcasts & Conferences
- Resources for Military Families Coping with Trauma
- Mental Health Transformation Trends
- Statistics
Therapy, dogs - Paws 4 Vets
The paws4peopleTM foundation (www.paws4people.org) privately places trained, certified and insured Assistance Dogs (AD) with individuals with physical, neurological, psychological and/or emotional disabilities.
Through the paws4vetsTM Assistance Dog Placement Program (p4vADPP) Veterans, Active-Duty Service Members (ADSM) or their dependents with physical, neurological, psychiatric or emotional disabilities can receive Psychiatric Service Dogs, Mobility Service Dogs and Rehabilitative Assistance Dogs, free of charge.
All paws4peopleTM Assistance Dogs are trained by federal inmates within one of five federal prisons (www.paws4prisons.org) and/or the paws4vetsTM Wounded Warrior PTSD Intervention and Assistance Dog Training Program.
Our newest program is The paws4vetsTM’s Wounded Warrior PTSD Intervention and Assistance Dog Training Program (ADTP). This program has two primary goals:
- to provide the Wounded Warriors with a unique opportunity to experience the “Special Therapeutic Powers” of the K-9/Human Bond enabling the Soldier to recover from, or at least learn to better cope with, handle and manage their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) symptoms, and,
- to train, certify and place Assistance Dogs with Veterans, Active-Duty Service Members (ADSM) or their dependents with physical, neurological, psychiatric or emotional disabilities.
Therapy, dogs - Operation Wolfhound
Our mission at Operation Wolfhound is to provide Armed Forces Veterans with dogs that will serve as companions and help them adjust to civilian life.
Therapy, horses - Back in the Saddle Bit by Bit (BITS)
B.I.T.S. (Back In The Saddle) is dedicated to improving the quality of life for combat injured men and women serving or having served in the Armed Services, their immediate families and families of deceased servicemen and women by providing physical, and psychological health and overall well-being by utilizing equine facilitated therapy.
Therapy, music - Guitars for Vets
A non-profit organization designed to enhance the lives of ailing and injured veterans by providing them with guitars and music instruction. It is our hope that self expression through the gift of music will help restore the feelings of joy and purpose that can be lost after suffering trauma.
Transportation - Air Compassion for Veterans
The mission and purpose of Air Compassion For Veterans is to ensure that no financially-stressed wounded warrior/veteran/ active duty military person or their family member(s) is denied access to distant specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or rehabilitation for lack of a means of long-distance medical air transportation. ACV is committed to the ongoing healing process of our wounded warriors and will provide transport for activities that aid in the process as long as needed.
ACV has added this service for veterans who served prior to the OIF/OEF conflict. ACV has also broadened its scope to provide air transportation for the special needs of veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
The majority of our missions are through commercial airlines. We can also provide air ambulance service for qualified patients that are non-ambulatory. Our partner Angel Flight pilots and planes can be utilized for remote and rural areas as well as flights that are within 1,000 miles.
Women veterans with PTSD - Women's Trauma Recovery Program
More than a decade ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs opened the National Women's Trauma Recovery Program (WTRP) as part of the National Center for PTSD at Menlo Park, CA. The WTRP, designed to treat women veterans with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is the first residential program of its kind and is open to women across the country. Many of the women who are referred to the program were sexually assaulted during their military service and suffer what is now referred to as Military Sexual Trauma (MST).
The WTRP is intensive 60-day residential program with a strong emphasis on interpersonal skills. The initial two weeks of treatment involve psychological and psychosocial assessments in order to develop comprehensive treatment plans. Women come into the program in classes, or cohorts, and work together to problem-solve, learn effective communication, and better manage their PTSD/MST symptoms.
After Iraq: A story of love, war, and faith (article)
By Rebekah Benimoff, as told to Eve Conant
Redbook Magazine
Copyright @ 2009
Mrs. Rebekah Benimoff, a chaplain spouse, tells of her journey with her husband's struggle with PTSD in this recently published Redbook magazine article.
Angel of Death:
True story of a Vietnam Vet's war experience and his battle to overcome PTSD, the "Cancer of theSoul" Author: John Blehm, Copyright @ 2008Also available as an e-Book
For many soldiers, there is a war after the war. After experiencing the horrifying aspects of war, many soldiers are afflicted with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, termed by some as "cancer of the soul". In Angel of Death, John Blehm tells of his wartime experiences and the thirty-eight years he has been suffering from PTSD. The book is a combination of an original work, Death Angel, and an additional nine chapters written ten years after the first edition. These chapters chronicle Blehm's journey with PTSD and the way he found peace through his faith in God. Angel of Death is written with the help of his wife, Karen, and is for soldiers and their families who wonder if they will ever reconnect with society. It is written for those who are asked to lay down their weapons and return to civilian life but seem to have lost the necessary pieces for this transition. It is a message of hope for those who have lost it and cannot seem to come back, and it is the testimony of a tortured soul who has found peace within.
Coping with Traumatic Memory (article)
By Diane Mandt Langberg
Marriage and Family: A Christian Journal
Copyright @ 2002
Topics include PTSD, Trauma and Memory, Subjective Experience of Trauma and Memory, Deep Memory, Anguished Memory, Humiliated Memory, Causes of Reliving Trauma, Emotions Accompanying Traumatic Memory, Spiritual Impact of Trauma. Link to article.
Faith in the Fog of War (Volume 1):
Stories of Triumph and Tragedy in the Midst of War Author: Chris Plekenpol, Copyright @ 2006You want the flare of your faith to burn as intensely as a fire on the battlefield. That means digging into God’s truth regardless of the chaos raging around you. These devotions are written by a man who had considered war something that someone else always did, and was then himself deployed to Iraq as a company commander. From the frontlines of the blackest days and in the face of inexplicable suffering, you’ll discover the heart of the question, “Why, God?” and its often unsettling answer. Because in war, as in contemporary America , reality involves struggle, trial, and triumph. Let God meet you in the midst of life’s nonsense to find the peace that is a crucial part of His impeccable plan.
Why, God? War screams the same questions whispered in everyday life. The battlefield explodes with the same tenacity of emotions that wretch our souls. Smoke fills the air just as doubt clouds our minds. Are you on the frontlines of war overseas? Or perhaps your battle is personal, deep within. These devotions, penned by Captain Chris Plekenpol while on the battlefield in Iraq, expose the depths of inexplicable suffering as well as the heights of incredible victory in God.
Through every adversity and in any circumstance, you will find a still voice reminding you of God’s sovereignty…in war and peace.
Faith Under Fire:
An Army Chaplain's Memoir Authors: Roger Benimoff, Eve Conant, Copyright @ 2009“Running away from God doesn’t work. I had tried.”
—Roger BenimoffAs he left for his second tour of duty as an Army chaplain in Iraq, Roger Benimoff noted in his journal: I am excited and I am scared. I am on fire for God...He is my hope, strength, and focus.
But not long after returning to Iraq, the burdens of his job–the memorial services for soldiers killed in action, the therapy sessions after contact with the enemy, the perilous excursions “outside the wire” while under enemy fire–began to overwhelm him. Amid the dust, heat, and blood of Iraq, Benimoff felt the pillar of strength he’d always relied on to hold him up–his faith in God–begin to crumble.
Unable to make sense of the senseless, Benimoff turned to his journal. What did it mean to believe in a God who would allow the utter horror and injustice of war? Did He want these brave young men and women to die? In his darkest moment, Benimoff wrote: Why am I so angry? I do not want anything to do with God. I am sick of religion. It is a crutch for the weak.
Benimoff’s spiritual crisis heightened upon his return home to Fort Carson, Colorado. He withdrew emotionally from wife and sons, creating tensions that threatened to shatter the family. He was assigned to work at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he counseled returning soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder–until he was diagnosed himself with PTSD.
Finding himself in the role of patient rather than caregiver, connecting as an equal with his fellow sufferers, and revisiting scriptural readings that once again rang with meaning and truth, he began his most decisive battle: for the love of his family and for the chance to once again open his heart to the healing grace of God.
Intimate and powerful, drawing on Benimoff’s and his wife’s journals, Faith Under Fire chronicles a spiritual struggle through war, loss, and the hard process of learning to believe again.
Finding God in the PTSD Battle (online devotional)
Eight devotionals written by a chaplain spouse that deal with Finding God in the PTSD Battle.
The Combat Trauma Healing Manual:
Christ-centered solutions for combat trauma Author: Rev. Chris Adsit, Copyright @ 2007Available through www.militaryministry.org
The Combat Trauma Healing Manual offers spiritual solutions for struggles with PTSD by helping construct an environment that will give God optimal access to the wounded soul. Designed for individual or group study, the Combat Trauma Healing Manual combines the latest insights of the medical and counseling communities with the timeless principles of God’s Word. The book outlines a step-by-step program that will help PTSD sufferers…
- Understand your trauma – spiritually, psychologically and physiologically
- Adopt therapeutic spiritual disciplines to bring you closer to God
- Process your loss and grief
- Experience the freeing influence of giving and receiving forgiveness
- Rebuild your identity based on what God says about you
- Strengthen yourself spiritually against future attacks
- Connect with those who will support you in many ways
- Define plans to fully reintegrate into society as a strengthened man or woman of God
From the Introduction
The reality of war is that everyone gets wounded. Some wounds heal rapidly, but some last for a lifetime. The reality is that the wounds of heart, soul and spirit have a spiritual component that is not being adequately addressed. Despite the valiant efforts of many organizations and the commitment of billions of dollars to address these issues, there remains a serious gap – the faith gap.
Major General Robert F. Dees, US Army (Retired), Executive Director, Military Ministry
From the Prologue
My family and I thought leaving the Army would remove me from the dangers of war. I had survived war and had come home, safe at last. Now I could focus on being a parent and a husband. But upon leaving the Army, I entered a different kind of fight: the war for my own heart and mind. I went face-to-face with my memories, with the horrors and stresses of combat-and lost.
Questions and doubts ravaged my mind: Why did I survive and my men die? Why did they send me there? Why does God allow such terrible wars to happen? Why can’t I feel anything?
Ashamed of the man I had become and unable to reconcile war, I reached a breaking point. I was highly praised and decorated for leadership under fire-yet I anguished in the aftermath of war. I realized I was about to lose everything: my marriage, my family, even my life. I had led a daring rescue mission and found myself in dire need of rescuing. I had fought to keep a promise-to never leave a fallen comrade-but who would keep that promise to me?
Former Captain Nathan Self, US Army Rangers
Nam Vet:
Making peace with your past Author: Chuck Dean, Copyright @ 2000Although the Vietnam War officially ended in 1975, it still rages in the lives of thousands of veterans and their families. This book not only tells why so many Vietnam veterans suffer from flashbacks, depression, fits of rage, nightmares, emotional numbing, and broken relationships, but it offers solid answers and gives hope. It reveals the way to peace on the subject of post-traumatic stress.
Once a Warrior:
Wired for Life Authors: Bridget C. Cantrell, Chuck Dean, Copyright @ 2007Once a Warrior: And Wired For Life illustrates how to turn negatives into positives and assists our highly trained military personnel in utilizing their tremendous potential in achieving success and happiness after their release from military service. This book highlights the path along the way to transitioning from warrior to civilian. It is not a book to read just once, but one to study over and over again.
Two Wars:
One hero's fight on two fronts--abroad and within Author: Nate Self, Copyright @ 2008Available through www.militaryministry.org
For the first time, Army Ranger hero Nate Self tells his story. Self recounts the Roberts Ridge Rescue mission, the ferocious battles in Afghanistan, and the lone war of attrition that Nate Self has waged against post-traumatic stress disorder. This book will become a go-to book for understanding the long-term effects of the war on terror. Thousands of families are fighting this battle, and Nate Self opens up his whole life—tragedies, successes, failures, and a struggle with suicidal thoughts—to share the facts and to show how his family and his faith pulled him through.
From the Front Lines of the War on Terror
A Chinook helicopter down.
Surrounded by al-Qaeda.
The ultimate fight for survival.
Nate Self tells the complete account of the battle he led in Afghanistan to rescue a Navy SEAL who had fallen into the hands of al-Qaeda fighters. It’s the story of a hero who fights two wars—the fight in Afghanistan and the fight to preserve his mind and soul, his family and home. It’s an intimate, unforgettable story of one of America’s own—a rare look into a soldier’s soul.
From the Prologue
I feel like I’m about to vomit.
Our helicopter careens around the snow-covered mountain, banking hard right, looking for our target. Though it’s just before dawn in Afghanistan, the sky is dark, clear, and cold.
“Where’s this landing zone?”
“On top of a ten-thousand-foot mountain,” says a voice on the radio.
“Roger.”
We’re on a rescue mission, and I’m in command of a thirteen-man Quick Reaction Force (QRF). We’re searching for a missing American who fell out of a helicopter in enemy territory two hours ago. He is somewhere below us in the Shah-i-Khot Valley, an area teeming with hundreds of al-Qaeda fighters. Right now, there’s no place on earth more hostile to U.S. soldiers—and no place my team would rather be. We’re here because we’re Rangers, and we have a creed to uphold: Never leave a fallen comrade. . . .
It’s been six months since the Twin Towers fell in New York, but it feels like we were born for this day—to meet our nation’s enemies. . . .
The right door gunner spots something below him: a dirty man in a ski jacket and plastic shoes has a rocket-propelled grenade launcher aimed at us.
“I’ve got an RPG—two o’clock!” The door gunner leans into his minigun’s trigger.
The M-134 Gatling gun belches, accompanied by three rounds from the aircraft’s M-60 machine gun in the rear. Their tandem fury jolts me. The machine guns riddle the Arab’s body, pinning him against a boulder, but not before he launches the RPG. Our gunners are too late.
I hear the air tearing as the rocket-propelled grenade screams toward us. The detonating shaped charge rips into the aircraft’s right engine, jolting the helicopter. A second RPG pierces the windshield glass, detonating inside and spraying hot metal throughout the cockpit. The helicopter falls with a queasy rush. In an instant, nearly fifty thousand pounds of rubber, steel, and American flesh crashes to the earth.
When War Comes Home:
Christ-centered healing for wives of combat veteransAuthors: Chris Adsit, Rahnella Adsit, Marshele Carter Waddell, Copyright @ 2008
Available through www.militaryministry.org
When War Comes Home: Christ-centered Healing for Wives of Combat Veterans offers comfort and practical help to the wives of combat veterans struggling with the hidden wounds of war, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Insights from the medical and counseling community are wrapped in biblical principles and the shared experiences of other military wives. The reader will:
- understand what happened to her husband – spiritually, psychologically and physiologically
- understand how her husband’s trauma symptoms are affecting her
- learn how to deal positively with grief, loss and forgiveness issues associated with PTSD
- learn how to build her own “healing place,” develop her support network, and know when and how to find physical safety
- understand and focus on her true identity in Christ
- recognize the real enemy and how to fight spiritual warfare
- learn how she can contribute to her husband’s healing environment
- learn how to construct a safe, healthy environment for her children
- understand the process of moving on to a “new normal”
NEW!! View the Feb. 8, 2009 tv interview of Marshele and her husband Mark as they offer hope from PTSD. For other related videos and stories, visit www.hopeforthehomefront.com.
Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior:
A Personal Story of a Vietnam Veteran Who Lost his Legs but Found His Soul Author: Allen B. Clark Jr., Copyright @ 2007It was early morning, June 17, 1967, and Dak To Special Forces camp in Vietnam was under attack. A mortar exploded, and West Point graduate Allen B. Clark Jr.’s life was changed forever. This is the story of how one soldier, so gravely injured that both of his legs were amputated, turned his grievous loss into a personal triumph. Clark describes his struggle through a year-long recovery and a severe bout of post traumatic stress disorder, so little understood at the time.
He tells of earning his MBA from Southern Methodist University and finding employment as a personal financial assistant to Ross Perot, of moving on to public service and founding the Combat Faith Ministry, a lay ministry to veterans. Clark's story of growth and spiritual fulfillment wrested from his wartime tragedy is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and is of special relevance in our day of so many soldiers returning wounded in body and spirit from Iraq.
PTSD - Books
Accepting the Ashes:
A Daughter's Look at Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Author: Quynn Elizabeth, Copyright @ 2007Written by the daughter of a two-time Vietnam veteran in the year of her father's death
and the escalation of the war in Iraq. In a time of war, what happens once a soldier
comes home?
Due to her father's experiences in war he struggled with Post Traumatic Stress, heart
sadness and alcoholism all his adult life even though he didn't get diagnosed with PTSD until 1992. In "Accepting the Ashes" Quynn shares her personal story so that other loved ones and soon-to-be veterans, who are fighting right now, might not have to wait 30 years to heal their painful feelings often caused by experiencing war-related stress. Available by book or audio CD.
After the War Zone:
A practical guide for returning troops and their familiesAuthors: Matthew J. Friedman, Laurie B. Slone, Copyright @ 2008
- Coping with common reactions
- The aftereffects of "battle" mind
- PTSD - what it is and is not
- Home, work, and community concerns
A highly practical, user-friendly guide to homecoming--including common after-effects of war zone exposure and how to cope--for returning troops and their families.
Two experts from the VA National Center for PTSD provide an essential resource for service members, their spouses, families, and communities, sharing what troops really experience during deployment and back home. Pinpointing the most common after-effects of war and offering strategies for troop reintegration to daily life, Drs. Friedman and Slone cover the myths and realities of homecoming; reconnecting with spouse and family; anger and adrenaline; guilt and moral dilemmas; and PTSD and other mental-health concerns.
With a wealth of community and government resources, tips, and suggestions, After the War Zone is a practical guide to helping troops and their families prevent war zone stresses from having a lasting negative impact.
An Operators Manual for Combat PTSD:
Essays for coping Author: Ashley Hart II, Copyright @ 2000An Operators Manual for Combat PTSD has been written to give the combat veteran a sense of hope and to develop an inner voice to assist in coping with everyday life. We live in two worlds: The physical world around us; The world we can see, hear, touch, and feel, and the world within ourselves. These essays assist the veteran in learning how to monitor triggers, our cues, and balance the world within with the world we live in. With harmonic balance, there is essential well being, validation, even joy.
Courage After Fire:
Coping strategies for troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their familiesAuthors: Keith Armstrong, Dr. Suzanne Best, Dr. Paula Domenici, Copyright @ 2005
The bravery displayed by our soldiers at war is commonly recognized. However, often forgotten is the courage required by veterans when they return home and suddenly face reintegration into their families, workplaces, and communities. Authored by three mental health professionals with many years of experience counseling veterans, Courage After Fire provides strategies and techniques for this challenging journey home.
Courage After Fire offers soldiers and their families a comprehensive guide to dealing with the all-too-common repercussions of combat duty, including posttraumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. It details state-of-the-art treatments for these difficulties and outlines specific ways to improve couple and family relationships. Courage After Fire also offers tips on areas such as rejoining the workforce and reconnecting with children.
Down Range:
To Iraq and Back Authors: Bridget C. Cantrell, Chuck Dean, Copyright @ 2005There are some things people don’t get over easily — pain from the past is one of them. Trauma changes people: It changes values, priorities, worldviews, and most of all‚…it changes how we relate to others. Painful, life-threatening experiences take people beyond the normal day-to-day life, leaving them stuck behind defensive walls that keep them from re-entering the world they have always known as “home”. So how does it happen? How do we lose the loving closeness with those around us? And better yet, how do we re-gain what pain has robbed us of?
“Down Range” is not only a book explaining war trauma — it is required reading for anyone seriously interested about how to make healthy transitions from war to peace. Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D. and Vietnam veteran, Chuck Dean have joined forces to present this vital information and resource manual for both returning troops and their loved ones. Here you will find answers, explanations, and insights as to why so many combat veterans suffer from flashbacks, depression, fits of rage, nightmares, anxiety, emotional numbing, and other troubling aspects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for Dummies
Author: Mark Goulston, Copyright @ 2007Cope with flashbacks, nightmares, and disruptive thoughts
Help your heart accept what your mind already knows — and overcome PTSD
A traumatic event can turn your world upside down — but just because you're still afraid doesn't mean you're still in danger. There is a path out ofPTSD, and this reassuring guide presents the latest on effective treatments that help to combat fear, stop stress in its tracks, and bring joy back to life.
Identify PTSD symptoms and get a diagnosis
Choose the ideal therapist for you
Weigh the pros and cons of medications
Maximize your healing
Help a partner, child, or other loved one triumph over PTSD
Running with the Hounds
Authors: David Wingfield, Charles Gillies, Copyright @ 2009Running with the Hounds offers the reader a window into the lingering effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on a combat veteran of the Vietnam War. David Wingfield's story is both unique and universal. For 30 years he hunted cougar and bear with hounds in the mountains of Oregon, but once he had his prey cornered, he would rarely kill. He is unaware that his refuge, the wilderness, is also the stage upon which he will relive the past. His story is tragic, rich, and redemptive. It speaks to the burdens of memory that veterans of every war keep to themselves.
The Veteran's PTSD Handbook:
How to file and collect on claims for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Author: John D. Roche, Copyright @ 2007From the author of The Veteran’s Survival Guide, The Veteran’s PTSD Handbook addresses the obstacles that veterans face when filing for benefits related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One of the greatest obstacles, John Roche writes, is establishing a connection between a veteran’s service and PTSD. Because both combat stressors and noncombat stressors can cause PTSD and because of the difficulties in diagnosing the condition, filing a successful claim for benefits based on PTSD is difficult.
In the same accessible, self-help style used in The Veteran’s Survival Guide, Roche offers detailed instructions on how to prepare a well-grounded claim for veterans’ benefits relating to PTSD. He also discusses the four years he spent helping one veteran establish a "service connection" for his PTSD claim with Veterans Affairs. This book will be required reading for any veteran or veteran’s dependent who wishes to obtain his or her well-earned benefits and for those officials of veterans’ service organizations who assist veterans with their claims.
Retreats/Seminars
Freedom R&R's
The ATFT Foundation (charitable arm of the Association for Thought Field Therapy) has joined with Callahan Techniques, Ltd. and the Success Mastermind Alliance (SMA) organizations like the Columbia Basin Veterans Resource Coalition and The National Veterans Foundation to provide a free, much needed trauma stress relief retreat to our returning Veterans. Selected veterans and their families will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy at a donated time share resort for one week. In addition to the time share, the veterans and their families will receive self-help materials for trauma, grief, anger and stress, along with access and support from a professional coach or mentor and trauma specialist who clearly understand the unique needs of Veterans.
The Sanctuary
The two main purposes of the Sanctuary, are also our two core values: Refuge and Redemption. The Sanctuary first and foremost is a Refuge of Sacred Trust for those who have suffered trauma on our own behalf. The Sanctuary is a place where the traumatized can get alone for reflection as well as share their trauma without fear of reprisal or violation of trust. We have our own full time facility, a 5500 square foot log lodge, available 55 miles W of Washington, DC. We also have a few other properties available to us, owned by others, located in Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Montana.
Several of our staff hold high level security clearances, TS/SCI/Poly, and we also have available state licensed counselors and ministers to provide for other clinical and spiritual follow up care as needed. Furthermore, there will never be any paperwork or verbal passage of a particular visitor's name attached to a traumatic experience, without the expressed intent of that visitor. The law provides for and enforces counselors and ministers protecting information shared. Furthermore, National Security reporting guidelines do not require reporting for those with security clearances who seek counseling, even if a mental health professional, “if” the assistance relates to “grief, family, or spiritual issues”.
The second main purpose is Redemption of trauma and of those who have been traumatized. The Sanctuary exists to serve those who have been physically, mentally, and emotionally traumatized while defending the United States ' and its citizens' way of life. We are establishing a community of the traumatized as we help them to process through their own tragedy in a way that turns their trauma into triumph for others.
The Welcome Home Initiative Retreat - for members of the Armed Forces and their families
A free 3-5 Day Retreat for Members of the Armed Forces and Their Families
- Talks by Veterans and Trauma Specialists
- Discussion Groups
- Opportunities for Reflection and Healing Prayer
- 600 Beautiful Acres for Recreation and Relaxation
- Handicapped-Accessible Facilities
- Optional Marriage & Family Counseling
Our goal is to minister practically and prayerfully to members of the Armed Forces and their families, providing support and resources to help them heal and thrive.
Our mission: To show our appreciation for the men, women, and families serving in the Armed Forces. To help those who have suffered trauma in combat, be it physical, psychological, or spiritual, by providing ministry and resources for health and healing.
To preserve the confidentiality of every person. To connect combat veterans with appropriate specialist agencies and resources including:
- Combat stress and trauma experts
- Critical incident debrief specialists
- Marriage and family life counselors
- Suicide prevention counselors
- Prayer teams
Veterans Village (Patrick McCaffrey Foundation)
The foundation is a peaceful, non-political, non-religious group of citizens who are very concerned about the welfare of our children returning home from the Middle East. We are in the process of creating a second home for them to heal and connect back with our society.
When War Comes Home [Don't] Retreat
When War Comes Home [Don't] Retreat is a weekend retreat for the home touched by war. The first retreat will be held November 12-14, 2010 in Monument, Colorado.
Hope for the Home Front, a ministry of One Hope, Inc., in partnership with Military Ministry Campus Crusade for Christ, Int’l. and Wings for Women Military Spouse Conferences, presents a weekend retreat for the wives, mothers and all women touched by the life and service of a combat veteran.
Be sure to check out the link for more details.
Wounded Warrior Project Alumni Caregiver Retreats
At WWP, we’re committed to supporting not only our wounded warriors, but also the individuals who sustain them on their path to recovery. In the spring of 2008, we launched our Caregiver Retreats to support this unique, devoted group of wives, mothers, sisters, fathers, brothers, and other family members who are helping their wounded loved ones face a range of physical and mental challenges.
These weekend-long, all-expense-paid retreats are usually hosted in Florida. The retreats provide caregivers an opportunity to get some much-needed physical and mental rest and rejuvenation and connect with others on a parallel journey. A comprehensive survey administered by WWP before the retreats ensures participants are placed into an appropriate group. The intimate retreat size, usually 15-25 participants, allows caregivers to connect with others experiencing a similar range of emotions in a safe, warm, and comfortable setting.
PTSD - Children/Teens
Finding My Way
A Teen's Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has Experienced Trauma Authors: Michelle D. Sherman, Ph.D. and DeAnne M. Sherman, Copyright 2005 A unique, three-part book that honestly and gently addresses key issues in dealing with a parent who has experienced trauma. An important resource for anyone working with teens, this interactive book includes clear information and opportunities for self-expression.
Simon Songjoy Defends His Melody
A children's tale of love, loss and heroism Author: Roby Dean-Blest, Copyright @ 2009 Do you know somebody who has a deployed loved one? Perhaps your own family is trying to make sense of life after having a family member return from Iraq or Afghanistan...
Roby Dean-Blest, an adult child of Vietnam veteran, Chuck Dean, creates a unique, school-age children's story addressing the complicated issues of wartime PTSD, -Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Often, kids cannot understand the volatile emotions they experience during the long months of waiting and wondering..finally coming to a head with the return of their veteran. -Then the real "adjustment period" begins...
Written as a tool for military personnel and their families, "Simon" bridges the gap for readers who may be experiencing their own delayed stress symptoms, confusion or lack of coping skills to deal with the aftermath of their Homecoming.
Camp C.O.P.E. for children
Our mission is to:
- help the children of service members cope with the transitions and/or trauma they are facing in response to the deployment or injuries sustained by their soldiers.
- provide children age-appropriate therapeutic interventions in small groups of their peers, who have had similar experiences.
- provide fun, therapeutic interventions for the children as well as information for parents about how to help their children at home.
- allow the child to tell their story and help put a voice to their feelings and concerns, while providing new ways to handle their experiences.
What is PTSD?
Used with Permission from the Facebook Group - Loved Ones of Combat Veterans (PTSD/TBI Support Group) link
What are PTSD? Please see below for an abbreviated version of a very complicated, combat related issues with a few tips to help make things better for them and for you:
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
PTSD is a condition that develops after someone has experienced a life-threatening situation, such as combat. In PTSD, the event will have involved actual or threatened death or serious injury and caused an emotional reaction involving intense fear, hopelessness, or horror.
People with Combat PTSD have three kinds of experiences for weeks, months (or if gone untreated, indefinitely) after the event(s) are over and the individual is in a safe environment.
Re-Experience
• Cannot put the experience(s) out of their minds - no matter how hard they try.
• Repeated nightmares about the event(s).
• Vivid memories (flashbacks), as if it were happening all over again.
• Strong reactions (also flashbacks) when they encounter reminders, such as cars backfiring, fireworks or something as innocent as someone walking over an overpass or seeing a soda can discarded to the side of the road.
Avoidance
• Avoid people, places, or feelings that remind them of the event(s). They also avoid places where there are crowds. In some cases, they avoid going out in public altogether and will even detach from their families and close freinds.
• Work hard at putting the event(s) of their minds but are often unsuccessful.
• Feelings of numbness and detachment - some resort to drug or alcohol abuse to escape from their feelings.
• They avoid people or places that remind them of the event.
Edginess or “Keyed up” Feelings
• May startle easily.
• May be irritable or angry all the time for no apparent reason.
• Trouble relaxing or getting to sleep.
• Always looking around, hyper-vigilant of their surroundings.
• In a restaurant, they need to sit where they have their back to a wall and can see the entrance.
People who have PTSD, have experiences from all three of the aforementioned categories. These experiences stay with them most of the time and can interfere with their ability to live their life or do their job.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)
If the head is hit or violently shaken (such as from a blast or explosion), a “concussion” or “closed head injury” can result. A concussion in and of itself is seldom life threatening, so doctors often use the term “mild” when the person is only dazed or confused or loses consciousness for a short time. However, concussion can result in serious symptoms. People who survive multiple concussions may have more serious problems. People who have had a concussion may say that they are “fine” although their behavior or personality has changed. If you notice such changes in a family member or friend, suggest they seek medical care. Keep in mind that these are common experiences, but may occur more frequently with TBI. If in doubt, ask your doctor.
Symptoms:
• Difficulty organizing daily tasks.
• Blurred vision or eyes tire easily.
• Headaches or ringing in the ears.
• Feeling sad, anxious or listless.
• Easily irritated or angered.
• Feeling tired all the time.
• Feeling light-headed or dizzy.
• Trouble with memory, attention or concentration.
• More sensitive to sounds, lights or distractions.
• Impaired decision making or problem solving.
• Difficulty inhibiting behavior – impulsive.
• Slowed thinking, moving speaking or reading.
• Easily confused, feeling easily overwhelmed.
• Change in sexual interest or behavior.
Some symptoms may be present immediately; others may appear much later. People experience brain injuries differently. Speed of recovery varies. Most people with mild injuries recover fully, but it can take time. In general, recovery is slower in older persons. People with a previous brain injury may find that it takes longer to recover from their current injury. Some symptoms can last for days, weeks, or longer. Talk to your health care provider about any troubling symptoms or problems.
More helpful information found on the Facebook Group page includes:
• Things that can help
• Things that can hurt
• What can family and friends do to help their veteran?
• What can you do for yourself and your family?
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For powerful stories in video format, visit In Their Boots.
Suicide
411 God - Hope for the Heroes
We are so thankful for the service of our troops. We are thankful for their protection, their courage, and their bravery. It’s hard to come home after experiencing the type of violence, and sorrow you have experienced and be expected to go about your lives as though nothing has changed, well that’s impossible.
411God Hope for the Heroes is designed to encourage you every day with the living breathing Word of God. There is nothing that delivers more hope or peace than God himself. He can heal the deepest wounds and has some serious weapons to fight the hurts that don’t seem to go away.
Taking the step is easy. You sign up. And we call, text or email you everyday with a word of hope from the book of hope, the Bible. It’s completely free, and totally customizable. You pick the way you want to receive your message. You pick the time of day you need it the most. For some of you, that will be at 5:00 a.m. the moment you open your eyes and try to walk through the motions of another day. For others it may be 3:00 a.m. when you are the most vulnerable to visions you are trying to suppress.
Whatever the time, you decide and we’ll make sure the call comes through.
To sign up, simply click here & pick the military group on the signup form.
Suicide Hotline
Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and Press 1
DO NOT GIVE UP! If you are contemplating suicide STOP! Your call is free and confidential.
Suicide - Symptoms and danger signs (Hidden Wounds)
Hearing someone talk about suicide can be distressful and upsetting. You want to help him or her stay safe and get professional treatment. But you may not be sure how to help, whether you should take talk of suicide seriously, or if your intervention might even make the situation worse....
Here is a powerful story of a young man who hadplans to take his life but, thanks his battle buddy,he is here today, and thankful for it.Copyright Benita Koeman 2008 - 2010
Organizations that support:
Deployment:
Encouragement:
Military Life:
Resources
Post Traumatic Stress Resources
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