Europe briefs:
Soldier found dead in barracks identified
Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, November 12, 2009
BAMBERG, Germany — A Grafenwöhr-based soldier who was found dead Sunday in his barracks room has been identified as Pfc. Matthew C. Johnson of the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, according to an official statement from the brigade.
Johnson is survived by his wife and parents in the States. His death is under investigation.
Memorial service for chaplain set
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — A memorial service for Chaplain (Col.) Lonnie B. Barker will be held at 1 p.m. Friday in the Ramstein Northside Chapel.
Barker, command deputy chaplain for U.S. Air forces in Europe, was found dead Sunday in his home near Ramstein Air Base. Cause of death is under investigation.
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=66051
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Reviving a Greek tragedy the wrong way
One day I had an argument with an older veteran uninterested in hearing about the reality of PTSD. He grew more and more defensive then told me, "Kid, you don't know what you're talking about. I can track my family back to the Civil War." Aside from being called a kid when I was well over 40 and had been helping veterans with PTSD for a good many years, I politely pointed out, "I can track my family back to the Trojan war." Then I asked him, "What's your point?" With this, he walked away. He was still in denial about PTSD but more, he was in denial it was already in him.
He was an angry man because that was all he allowed himself to feel. Given the fact the vast majority of veterans I've talked to over the years along with their families, most of the veterans with PTSD were compassionate people, always caring about others, always loving, forgiving and most were very religious. The pain trapped all that was part of them and allowed only anger to be seen by others. It's a defense against feeling pain added onto them. It's also one of the biggest reasons they drink or use drugs. They want to feel nothing.
This Greek tragedy is one more case of the military missing the point. It is a lesson that will do much good for the mental health providers but not the veterans themselves. They already live with what the providers need to learn.
The biggest tragedy is that they live with all of it and no ancient Greek text will give them comfort or remove the stigma when the message they are getting is the same as usual.
PTSD is only caused by trauma. It is not their fault. When they understand this, the stigma is reduced.
PTSD is caused by an outside force striking the emotions where all their compassion lives on. This is why they hurt.
PTSD is not about lack of courage because compassion will only produce tears without courage to act for the sake of someone else. The ability to care is behind the courage they need to take action in the first place. The ability to be willing to lay down their lives is fueled by their courage.
There is so much they need to hear and they will not hear it unless someone starts to tell them.
He was an angry man because that was all he allowed himself to feel. Given the fact the vast majority of veterans I've talked to over the years along with their families, most of the veterans with PTSD were compassionate people, always caring about others, always loving, forgiving and most were very religious. The pain trapped all that was part of them and allowed only anger to be seen by others. It's a defense against feeling pain added onto them. It's also one of the biggest reasons they drink or use drugs. They want to feel nothing.
This Greek tragedy is one more case of the military missing the point. It is a lesson that will do much good for the mental health providers but not the veterans themselves. They already live with what the providers need to learn.
The Anguish of War for Today’s Soldiers, Explored by Sophocles
By PATRICK HEALY
Published: November 11, 2009
The ancient Greeks had a shorthand for the mental anguish of war, for post-traumatic stress disorder and even for outbursts of fratricidal bloodshed like last week’s shootings at Fort Hood. They would invoke the names of mythological military heroes who battled inner demons: Achilles, consumed by the deaths of his men; Philoctetes, hollowed out from betrayals by fellow officers; Ajax, warped with so much rage that he wanted to kill his comrades.
Now officials at the Defense Department are turning to the Greeks to explore the psychic impact of war.
The Pentagon has provided $3.7 million for an independent production company, Theater of War, to visit 50 military sites through at least next summer and stage readings from two plays by Sophocles, “Ajax” and “Philoctetes,” for service members. So far the group has performed at Fort Riley in Kansas; at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Md.; and at last week’s Warrior Resilience Conference in Norfolk, Va.
read more here
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/theater/12greeks.html?_r=1
The biggest tragedy is that they live with all of it and no ancient Greek text will give them comfort or remove the stigma when the message they are getting is the same as usual.
PTSD is only caused by trauma. It is not their fault. When they understand this, the stigma is reduced.
PTSD is caused by an outside force striking the emotions where all their compassion lives on. This is why they hurt.
PTSD is not about lack of courage because compassion will only produce tears without courage to act for the sake of someone else. The ability to care is behind the courage they need to take action in the first place. The ability to be willing to lay down their lives is fueled by their courage.
There is so much they need to hear and they will not hear it unless someone starts to tell them.
Soldier Questions Help For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
I hear this all the time. It is not just about Fort Campbell or any other Fort. It is not just about the soldiers here or deployed. It is about all of them and it is about veterans. They are not getting what they need in the military or out of it and they return home to families without a clue what is going on. None of it needs to happen and if they catch the newly wounded, chances are they can even return to duty if they want, but healing has to be the right way, with the right information and the right kind of support.
Soldier Questions Help For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Posted: Nov 10, 2009 5:07 PM EST
By Nick Beres
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - A soldier at Fort Campbell said the post does not do enough to help soldiers deal with mental stress.
Army Spc. Adam Lichman, 25, spoke out about his concerns one day before the mass shooting at Ft. Hood in Texas. After that incident people nationwide joined Lichman in asking: How does the military deal with troubled soldiers?
Lichman joined the Army in 2006 and served 14 months in Iraq. In that time he was shot by a sniper, and his humvee was hit by an anti-tank grenade. The force of the blast knocked Lichman out cold.
"The guys in my humvee thought I was dead because the explosion blew up a whole case of water, and they felt wetness everywhere," said Lichman.
Lichman's fellow soldiers thought the water was his blood, but the 25-year-old survived without a scratch - at least on the surface. He returned to Ft. Campbell with post traumatic stress disorder.
read more here
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=11480209
Chaplain explains Army’s support for soldiers following Fort Hood attack
This is very hopeful! They may really be listening to what the soldiers need.
Chaplain explains Army’s support for soldiers following Fort Hood attack
By: Darrell Todd Maurina
Posted: Saturday, November 7, 2009 3:47 pm
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 7, 2009) — Shortly before Army personnel nationwide conducted a moment of silence Friday afternoon for the 13 soldiers and others killed by a Muslim psychiatrist at Fort Hood in Texas, an Army chaplain assigned to family life issues at Fort Leonard Wood explained how the Army tries to help soldiers and families.
“Our military is grieving now this great loss at Fort Hood,” said Lt. Col. John Bjarnason. “We feel very sad for the families that have lost a dear one there.”
Bjarnason, 64, entered the Army during the Vietnam era, returned to active duty military service as a chaplain in 1982, retired after serving in both Gulf Wars in 1991 and 2003, and was recently called back to active duty to help respond to family life issues caused by the stress placed on Army families.
“I have been recalled back to the Army because of our two-front war,” Bjarnason said. “I am one of many who sit on a task force that began earlier this year tasked with taking care of people ... We try to look at and find ways to best care for the whole person, physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, family, social. We are looking out over all our community and also a 50-mile radius around Fort Leonard Wood where we could find services whatever their needs may be.”
read more here
http://www.pulaskicountydaily.com/news.php?viewStory=1314
“The whole idea is that if we are going to help take care of people, then we ought to look the whole wide range of the whole human dimension, and this task force is doing our very level best to examine that,” Bjarnason said.
Chaplain explains Army’s support for soldiers following Fort Hood attack
By: Darrell Todd Maurina
Posted: Saturday, November 7, 2009 3:47 pm
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 7, 2009) — Shortly before Army personnel nationwide conducted a moment of silence Friday afternoon for the 13 soldiers and others killed by a Muslim psychiatrist at Fort Hood in Texas, an Army chaplain assigned to family life issues at Fort Leonard Wood explained how the Army tries to help soldiers and families.
“Our military is grieving now this great loss at Fort Hood,” said Lt. Col. John Bjarnason. “We feel very sad for the families that have lost a dear one there.”
Bjarnason, 64, entered the Army during the Vietnam era, returned to active duty military service as a chaplain in 1982, retired after serving in both Gulf Wars in 1991 and 2003, and was recently called back to active duty to help respond to family life issues caused by the stress placed on Army families.
“I have been recalled back to the Army because of our two-front war,” Bjarnason said. “I am one of many who sit on a task force that began earlier this year tasked with taking care of people ... We try to look at and find ways to best care for the whole person, physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, family, social. We are looking out over all our community and also a 50-mile radius around Fort Leonard Wood where we could find services whatever their needs may be.”
read more here
http://www.pulaskicountydaily.com/news.php?viewStory=1314
Marine reservist attacked Greek priest he mistook for terrorist
Do you think we have a really huge problem when a Greek Priest is attacked for asking directions just because he has a thick accent and speaks very little English? Greek Priests wear robes and grow beards! What is going on when something like this happens?
Tampa police: Marine reservist attacked Greek priest he mistook for terrorist
By Alexandra Zayas and Demorris A. Lee, Times Staff Writers
In Print: Wednesday, November 11, 2009
TAMPA — Marine reservist Jasen Bruce was getting clothes out of the trunk of his car Monday evening when a bearded man in a robe approached him.
That man, a Greek Orthodox priest named Father Alexios Marakis, speaks little English and was lost, police said. He wanted directions.
What the priest got instead, police say, was a tire iron to the head. Then he was chased for three blocks and pinned to the ground — as the Marine kept a 911 operator on the phone, saying he had captured a terrorist.
read more here
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article1050707.ece
linked from RawStory
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