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By Charlene Rubush, March 30, 2010 10:46 pm

Part Two:

Dr. Judith Broder established “The Soldiers Project” in order to help combat veterans and their families. Concerned about the enormous stigma attached to getting psychological help, especially in the military, she wanted to provide an alternative. Of the masses of returning combat vets afflicted with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, she notes, “These people are not mentally ill, they are just reacting to extremely abnormal situations.”

Recent studies underscore the need for these services. In 2008, the RAND Center for Military Health Policy reported that nearly 20 percent of veterans, 300,000 in all, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001, report symptoms of PTSD or major depression. And a 2009 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) study reports a threefold increase in depression and post-traumatic stress after repeat combat duty.

Volunteers involved with “The Soldiers Project” receive specialized training in depression, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury. They are all licensed in various fields, such as psychiatry, social work, nursing, psychology, marriage and family therapy, and must participate in ongoing training on topics such as deployment, homecoming, re-entry into civilian life, domestic violence and therapeutic approaches, among others.

The project also helps those who aren’t eligible for services through the military or VA, including extended family members as well as gay, lesbian and heterosexual unmarried partners. The Soldiers Project’s services are confidential, eliminating concern that treatment would appear on military records and affect careers. Continue reading 'The Soldiers Project Provides A Safety Net For Those Who Would Rather Not Use VA Mental Health Services'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 29, 2010 6:01 pm

Part One:

In a recent article by Anita K. Kantrowitz, we learn about psychiatrist Judith Broder, who spent 30 years working in a private psychoanalytic practice, primarily with teens and young adults. As a volunteer, she counseled teenage mothers and taught, trained and supervised analysts at the Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies (LAISPS).

Broder had been cutting back on her practice and looking forward to retirement. But then she saw a play about the Iraq War’s emotional toll on soldiers’ lives. The play that inspired Broder, The Sand Storm: Stories From The Front, was written by Sean Huze, at the time an active-duty Marine. Huze created 10 monologues based on the experiences of soldiers stationed with him in Fallujah, Iraq.

She shelved her retirement plans and embarked on a new mission. She began to create a network of psychological services for those affected by the trauma of combat. The experienced doctor had no prior experience with the psychological effects of combat, and was devastated as she watched the actors, some of who were veterans, describe “horrible things that no one should have to see or participate in.” Continue reading 'Psychiatrist Judith Broder, Founded THE SOLDIERS PROJECT, After Seeing Play About Iraq War Veterans'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 27, 2010 12:42 pm

In a CNN article, we learn that Army generals, who are not known for talking about their feelings, are finally speaking out about their own battles with PTSD. Two high-ranking officers are now doing it, hoping that by going public, they can remove the stigma that many soldiers say keeps them from getting help for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Brig. General Gary S. Patton and Gen. Carter Ham have both sought counseling for the emotional trauma of their time in the Iraq War. Patton said, “One of our soldiers in my unit, Spec. Robert Unruh, took a gunshot wound to the torso. I was involved in medevacing him off the battlefield. And in a short period of time, he died before my eyes. That’s a memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Ham was the commander in Mosul when a suicide bomber blew up a mess tent. Twenty-two people died. “The 21st of December, 2004, was the worst day of my life. Ever. To this day I still ask myself what should I have done differently, what could I have done as the commander responsible that would have perhaps saved the lives of those soldiers, sailors, civilians.” Continue reading 'Even Generals Are Now Talking About Their Own Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 25, 2010 10:57 pm

Part Four:

What do Americans need to know about the healthcare  we provide to our veterans?

Americans need to know that this (the VA Hospitals) is not working for veterans. There were recent reports where three veterans were infected with HIV from the VA because the colonoscopy equipment was not sanitized correctly. I do not know if this happens at other hospitals but the VA is really f…ing things up. They have a captive audience. People who go to the VA do not have much money for insurance. I think Americans need to step it up for us and demand better treatment.

In your book, Soft Spots, one of your friends with you in Iraq predicted the war would change you. How did you initially expect the war to change you and how does that differ from the reality of the situation?

I was really focused on going over there and fighting. When he said we would not be the same I really did not believe him. We thought fighting would be cool and we would come back as combat veterans with war stories. It was like we were becoming members of a club that not many people would be in and we thought that was pretty cool. Continue reading 'Iraq War Veteran and Author Clint Van Winkle’s Thoughts On VA Care and Iraq'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 24, 2010 10:42 pm

Part Three:

In your book, Soft Spots, you said “I didn’t give a s…t about Saddam Hussein or terrorism or Al Qaeda. I didn’t care about anyone’s freedom or liberty. I never heard any of that mentioned. I really never heard anyone say we have to fight these guys so we do not have to fight them at home. I could’ve cared less about that.” So, what did you care about when you were over there?

I cared about getting my guys home alive. I wanted to complete my mission and get my guys home alive. I didn’t hear much about the reason we were going. I don’t think a lot of people realy know why we were there.

If you were fighting for each others lives who was fighting for Iraqi freedom and liberation?

I do not consider myself a liberator. I do not know if they (Iraqis) wanted to be liberated. I do not know if we made things better or worse. Some people seemed really happy when we were there. It is hard to figure out. Iraq is really confusing to me. I am not trying to talk circles around the question. I just haven’t been able to figure it out. I do not know who was fighting for liberation. Nobody in my platoon was. Ideology was the last thing we were concerned with. We were concerned with whether our weapons were going to work and what the hell we were getting ourselves into. Continue reading 'More From Iraq War Veteran Clint Van Winkle on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 23, 2010 10:21 pm

Part Two:

More from the Delicious Day blog interview (4-24-2009) with Clint.

How would your wife Sara, say PTSD has affected her life.

It definitely changed her life. It was a rough 5 or 6 years. Over the last few years it has gotten better. There are still moments where I am a complete asshole but I try to rein that in or go off by myself. It was hard for her to read my book because it brought back such bad memories.

In the moments where you are an asshole, are you aware of it? Can’t control it? Or do you just don’t care?

A lot of times I just don’t care or I can’t control it. I am usually pretty aware of it especially when I am around my wife becasue she has no problem telling me. PTSD has elements of depression in it. I wouldn’t say I am hopeless but a lot of people with PTSD are hopeless. Sometimes they switch back to warrior mode where they are just able to yell at someone to get things accomplished. It is not like we as Marines are the easiest people to get along with to begin with and PTSD just adds to it.

There are reports about veterans coming home from combat and killing their wives or children. Were you ever afraid you would do that?

No, I was not worried I would kill a family member. Maybe a civilian. I was not homicidal. I was afraid of what would happen if I did get to that point. I did not know how far PTSD would take me. I did not know how bad it would get. It scares me that PTSD leads people down that road.

In Soft Spots you talk about your compulsion to commit seemingly random violence on others when you returned home. What do you think was your primary motivation in that?

It was because I was so angry. It was not a release because it does not feel good to be that angry. To be on the verge of losing control is a horrible feeling.

In Soft Spots, some of the things you write about are pretty shocking – a dog being intentionally shot, you killing a young Iraqi girl, a Marine’s body being left behind – is it possible if there were more control over those events your PTSD would not be as severe as it is?

No, I don’t think those things have any bearing on it. Most of those things as out of control as they sound were pretty controlled. We were always within our rules of engagement. I always shot at what I thought was a target. I shot the little girl when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. Those things happened randomly. Shooting a dog was out of control, but that was done by a guy in the Navy.

In Soft Spots you ask yourself, “What kind of person would shoot a little girl?” Now that you have had time to think about it, do you have an answer to that question?

That was an accident. The thought of it really bothered me. We were not trained to do that. We were trained to help people. Whether or not the war in Iraq is right or wrong we should have been over there helping, not killing civilians.

In Soft Spots, you said “In some messed up way being home produced withdrawal symptoms. I’d experienced some of the most exciting events of my life. Nothing compared to the feelings that war induced.” It is hard to read that and not think this had become some sort of game or high to you. Is there any truth to that?

It is definitely a high. You are hunting people. You have to have that adrenaline going. It is like going into a game almost except if you lose you are dead or your friends are dead. I do not think civilians understand that very much. It is something I did not understand until I went there. I thought I knew a lot about war but I realized I did not know anything until I experienced combat.

In Soft Spots you said when you first landed in the U.S. the thought going through your head was “Turn back. Turn back. Turn back.” Why was that?

What was I supposed to say to my wife? I was killing people everyday. I didn’t have anything to say to her or anybody. When I was over there, we all understood each other perfectly. When I got off the plane we were all going our separate ways.

I have interviewed a guy who was a sniper in the Vietnam War. He said he was afraid no one would understand what he did, what he experienced. Do you think this is why you wanted to “turn back?”

That is exactly what it is. I relate to combat veterans really well. You do not have to say certain things to them. You do not have to worry about what they are going to think of you. They know when you go into combat shit happens. Maybe you killed a little girl but they understand I did not do it on purpose. But if you try to explain that to a civilian they think you are an asshole. I am not an asshole. It is just something that happened and combat vets understand that.

http://www.clintvanwinkle.com

Charlene’s Note:

Painful as it is, this is how we get a glimpse of the true reality of combat. Tomorrow I’ll post the third and final installment of the interview with this courageous and frank war veteran.

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By Charlene Rubush, March 22, 2010 10:45 pm

PART ONE:

Clint Van Winkle, author of  Soft Spots: A Marine’s Memoir of Combat and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder believes that all veterans of all wars return home with this illness. It is only the severity of the disease and the willingness to accept the diagnosis that varies from veteran to veteran.

Van Winkle went to Iraq from February until “Mission Accomplished” in June of 2003. In those 5 months he does not believe he fought for Iraqi freedom or liberation, but solely for his life and the lives of his friends. In the 150 or so days he was in the Middle East, what he did, experienced and witnessed would leave him with a mental illness that he and his family are forced to cope with for the remainder of his life.

In an interview with the Delicious Day blog,  (4-24-2009) Van Winkle  spares no words on the toll that participating in war takes on soldiers. On why Van Winkle joined the Marines,  he notes:

I was in college and I was not doing that great. It seemed like there was more to do and I wanted to challenge myself. I hoped at some point that I would go to war. I remember watching the Gulf War on television and it seemed exciting.

What seemed exciting about war?

Combat in general seemed exciting. It seemed like something rough men go and do. Going off and fighting and coming back home has a romantic feel to it. I watched a lot of war movies when I was younger. That is where I got all of my information.

Looking back now, what event or events do you think caused PTSD?

There are certain events that stick with me more than others but I think it was the entire experience. Continue reading 'Iraq War Veteran and Author Clint Van Winkle Shares His Thoughts on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 20, 2010 11:00 pm

The National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum (NVVAM) was formed in 1981, by a few Vietnam combat veterans. They put together an artistic and historical collection that has  become a timeless statement of war on behalf of all veterans for future generations. The rare collection blossomed from a group of veterans in the post-war era, and has now grown into the world’s only museum with a permanent collection focusing on the subject of war from an artistic perspective.

They are now “stretching beyond Vietnam” to help today’s combat veterans. While the stigma against Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder continues, veterans across the country have found a way to let the healing process begin by creating art.

Art therapy is an established mental health profession which uses the creative process of art to improve and enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It’s based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. Continue reading 'Art Therapy Continues Its Tradition As a Healing Tool for Today’s Combat Veterans PTSD'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 18, 2010 10:13 pm

From Brian McLaren’s blog, we learn that this weekend, a group of combat vets, scholars, and clergy will testify at the “Truth Commission On Conscience in War.”

McLaren notes that but for a previous comitment, he would be there in person, but he will be following what happens, as it could truly be a historic moment.

The gathering will be at The Riverside Church, where The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic “Beyond Vietnam” speech. Five veterans-including two who just returned from visiting the countries where they fought, will reveal what they felt, witnessed, and came to understand about fighting in war.

They will be joined by a group of experts, including nationally recognized scholars and clergy. Testifiers include:

Tyler Boudreau, former US Marine Captain, Iraq War veteran, and author of Packing Inferno: The Unmaking of a Marine.

Joshua Casteel, former US Army Interrogator at Abu Ghraib, attended West Point, featured in the documentary, Soldiers of Conscience.

Jacob C. Diliberto, OEF and OIF US Marine veteran, Founder of  “Veterans for Rethinking Afghanistan,” M.Div. Fuller Theological Seminary. Recently returned from trip to Afghanistan as a civilian. Continue reading 'Truth Commission On Conscience in War Meets This Weekend In New York'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 17, 2010 11:10 pm

From an article on Julien Modica’s blog, (he is a candidate for Congress) he writes,” Dr. Allan Spiegel and I made the argument that “Off-Label” use of prescriptions is dangerous,to the DC Circuit Court last year. Modica and Dr. Speigel pointed out in the complaint to the Court that most of these drugs have warnings that they “May Cause Suicide” written right on the label.

In another article in The Army Times, (by Andrew Tilgham and Brendan McGarry) these concerns are explored. Here are some facts:

At least one in six service members is on some form of psychiatric drug.

Many troops are taking more than one kind, mixing several pills in daily “cocktails”- for example, an anti-depressant with an anti-psychotic to prevent nightmares, plus an anti-epileptic to reduce headaches-despite minimal clinical research testing such combinations.

The drugs come with serious side-effcts. They can imapir motor skills, reduce reaction times and generally make a war fighter less effective. Continue reading 'Use of Off-Label Prescriptions for Combat Vets with PTSD is Alarming'»