Monday, September 15, 2008

Iraq and Afghanistan PTSD veterans, CNN wants to hear from you

This comment was left on my YouTube group. It's no joke. I got off the phone with her less than a half hour ago.

acginnyc has sent you a message on YouTube:
CNN urgent request -- PTSD/veterans
Greetings, My name is Chris Gajilan. I’m a senior producer for CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. I came across your channel on youtube.

We are working on a piece profiling an Iraq/Afghanistan war veteran who suffers from PTSD. I am wondering if you could help us find the appropriate person who is willing to share their story – who has benefited from your program. The report will be part of a larger CNN and MTV project. Our networks are working together towards an MTV special airing 10/24 that will become a CNN “Anderson Cooper 360” special airing the following day.

The MTV program is a 4-hour event “Fight for Veterans” that will include music acts and news pieces. The news pieces come from CNN and will focus on vet issues. Here are some of the elements we’d like to consider: --a veteran of the Iraq/Afghanistan war who suffers from PTSD.

--in their 20s or 30s
--he/she has family members who have been affected by their loved one with PTSD and are willing to be interviewed on camera.
--lives in NY city area or Atlanta
--ideally we would shoot some footage sometime next week (week of 09/15 or week of 09/22) and again on Friday 10/10 (Dr. Gupta will spend some time interviewing them).
--vet who has still photos or home video of himself/herself and family over the years.
--if possible, somebody who struggled to get PTSD care after asking for help

Thanks again,
Chris A. Chris Gajilan Senior Producer
CNN Medical News One Time Warner Center, 0403N3 New York, NY 10019
w 212.275.8058
I m 917.406.7742
I f 212.275.9549



Speaking out on PTSD
PTSD is a wound. No one would be ashamed of a bullet wound. Why be ashamed of this wound? End the silence and break the stigma. More than you know suffer from this wound. Trauma is Greek for wound.
acginnyc has made a comment on PTSD Final battle of war:
Thanks for your video NamGuardian. This msg is for any iraq/afghanistan vets who are willing to share their stories of PTSD. Im a senior producer for CNN. We are working on a piece profiling an Iraq/Afghanistan war veteran who suffers from PTSD. If you're interested in speaking to us pls msg me.



If you feel my videos helped you, then help CNN. Their goal is the same as mine. To help veterans heal. We have to get rid of the stigma and provide the help, support and knowledge to all veterans dealing with this wound and give other veterans a reason to hope they can be healed. Too many are taking their own lives as hope slips through their hands. Do you want to feel like a hero again? You are one already because you were born that way. It may have been a very long time since you last felt like one though. Coming forward and being willing to talk about what has been going on, what has helped you, will help others.

I'm keeping my promise to all of you to keep your stories and emails private and will not break that ever. It's up to you to contact CNN to talk to them. I can understand some of you won't be able to but for those who are, pray for them so they can be your voice.

Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

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