Dog helps Iraq vet with PTSD: 'My little Marine'
Life has become calmer, safer and less stressful for Chris Goehner since he paired up with Pele, according to this story by the Associated Press.
Goehner, 25, a Wenatchee Valle, Wash., native now attending Central Washington University, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has afflicted him since serving two tours as a U.S. Navy corpsman attached to a U.S. Marine Corps emergency room unit in Iraq. He worked as a medic in Kuwait and Iraq in 2004 and 2005, before being diagnosed with PTSD and discharged in 2006.
Pele is his service dog. Since November, the two have become inseparable.
Goehner is one of only 21 Iraq War veterans suffering from PTSD who have been paired with service dogs since the military recently started a new program to try to help soldiers with the disorder.
Pele was trained for the program by an organization called Puppies Behind Bars. The nonprofit organization uses prison inmates to train service dogs in several New York regional prisons.
read more here
Dog helps Iraq vet with PTSD
Thursday, January 14, 2010
PTSD does not have to be the end of anything
PTSD does not have to be the end of anything
by
Chaplain Kathie
With the reports coming out about the suicides going up among veterans as well as active military, the saddest fact is that none of it has to happen. PTSD is a serious, disabling wound caused by a traumatic event. When the person happens to have served in the military, it is caused by multiple traumatic events building on a series of others. Experts know traumatic events cause PTSD in survivors of a one time event in their lives. A car accident, fire, crime and natural disaster can take hold onto the minds of many. One time out of their lives can change those lives forever. When citizens enter into the fire and police departments across the nation or any emergency services, these events come into their lives with more frequency. The biggest difference is when we are talking about people in the military, it is a 24/7 job while they are deployed. They do not get to go home, be a regular person when their shift is over. They stay on guard, exposed to more events until their deployment ends.
When they return back to their homes, they return with the events carried deeply embedded within their soul, trapped in their minds while they wonder when the day will come they have just "gotten over it" instead of understanding what those events are doing to them as they wait.
PTSD claims more territory as they wait for it to go away, mask the pain with drugs and alcohol, pushing everyone they used to love away from them as they allow only the emotion of anger to surface.
Families want them back to the way they were before and when they show no signs of life in the "old person" the families end up resenting the changes instead of understanding them. Combat veterans always say "I just want to be the way I was before" because they cannot accept the fact every event in a human's life changes them. Wishing, wanting and regretting thrive while recovery time is lost and PTSD gets worse.
Some veterans look at older veterans falling apart, drinking too much, doing drugs, living on the streets, getting married for the 5th or 6th time and believe they are doomed to the same outcome. What they do not see is usually veterans become that wounded because they did not receive help when PTSD was mild. The hopeful reality is that even veterans that far down can be helped out of that pit and it is not hopeless for them to live a decent life.
As soon as help for PTSD is begun, it stops getting worse. The sooner it begins, the better the outcome. Getting help with medication alters the chemicals in the brain back to a "normal" level. Getting therapy helps the veteran heal emotionally, allowing them to talk about what is weighing heavily on their soul to someone they know will not judge them heals them. Reconnecting to their faith, knowing God is not punishing them heals their soul.
As we look at the figures of the newer veterans entering into this spiral of hell, we all need to know that while the sooner the better is best, it is not hopeless for older veterans to begin to heal. As time went on, some of the results of PTSD are forever a part of them but they can learn to cope with what cannot be healed. They can minimize the strength of flashbacks and nightmares. They can reduce the anger they feel. Even if they cannot hold a job because of medications and other factors like short term memory loss, impaired judgment or other symptoms, many have ended up working in their communities to give back.
If they are helped early on, PTSD does not have to end a career, end a marriage or allow the end of hope for a better future. Stopping PTSD from getting worse begins today and it will not get worse. Then comes tomorrow when hope returns, laughing replaces the crying as the wall is broken down, anger is replaced by love, relationships replace loneliness and the energy it took to try to hide the wound is turned into healing the wound from within.
It is not too late for Korean War veterans, Vietnam veterans, Gulf War veterans, Afghanistan or Iraq veterans and it is not too late for you to heal. You just need help finding the tools to do it. Open up to someone you know cares about you, go to a Veterans Center, call your family doctor, call your spiritual leader, find someone to talk to and begin to heal today. Tomorrow depends on what you do and instead of seeing your life slip away, take it back and heal.
And now a message from Papa Roy.
by
Chaplain Kathie
With the reports coming out about the suicides going up among veterans as well as active military, the saddest fact is that none of it has to happen. PTSD is a serious, disabling wound caused by a traumatic event. When the person happens to have served in the military, it is caused by multiple traumatic events building on a series of others. Experts know traumatic events cause PTSD in survivors of a one time event in their lives. A car accident, fire, crime and natural disaster can take hold onto the minds of many. One time out of their lives can change those lives forever. When citizens enter into the fire and police departments across the nation or any emergency services, these events come into their lives with more frequency. The biggest difference is when we are talking about people in the military, it is a 24/7 job while they are deployed. They do not get to go home, be a regular person when their shift is over. They stay on guard, exposed to more events until their deployment ends.
When they return back to their homes, they return with the events carried deeply embedded within their soul, trapped in their minds while they wonder when the day will come they have just "gotten over it" instead of understanding what those events are doing to them as they wait.
PTSD claims more territory as they wait for it to go away, mask the pain with drugs and alcohol, pushing everyone they used to love away from them as they allow only the emotion of anger to surface.
Families want them back to the way they were before and when they show no signs of life in the "old person" the families end up resenting the changes instead of understanding them. Combat veterans always say "I just want to be the way I was before" because they cannot accept the fact every event in a human's life changes them. Wishing, wanting and regretting thrive while recovery time is lost and PTSD gets worse.
Some veterans look at older veterans falling apart, drinking too much, doing drugs, living on the streets, getting married for the 5th or 6th time and believe they are doomed to the same outcome. What they do not see is usually veterans become that wounded because they did not receive help when PTSD was mild. The hopeful reality is that even veterans that far down can be helped out of that pit and it is not hopeless for them to live a decent life.
As soon as help for PTSD is begun, it stops getting worse. The sooner it begins, the better the outcome. Getting help with medication alters the chemicals in the brain back to a "normal" level. Getting therapy helps the veteran heal emotionally, allowing them to talk about what is weighing heavily on their soul to someone they know will not judge them heals them. Reconnecting to their faith, knowing God is not punishing them heals their soul.
As we look at the figures of the newer veterans entering into this spiral of hell, we all need to know that while the sooner the better is best, it is not hopeless for older veterans to begin to heal. As time went on, some of the results of PTSD are forever a part of them but they can learn to cope with what cannot be healed. They can minimize the strength of flashbacks and nightmares. They can reduce the anger they feel. Even if they cannot hold a job because of medications and other factors like short term memory loss, impaired judgment or other symptoms, many have ended up working in their communities to give back.
If they are helped early on, PTSD does not have to end a career, end a marriage or allow the end of hope for a better future. Stopping PTSD from getting worse begins today and it will not get worse. Then comes tomorrow when hope returns, laughing replaces the crying as the wall is broken down, anger is replaced by love, relationships replace loneliness and the energy it took to try to hide the wound is turned into healing the wound from within.
It is not too late for Korean War veterans, Vietnam veterans, Gulf War veterans, Afghanistan or Iraq veterans and it is not too late for you to heal. You just need help finding the tools to do it. Open up to someone you know cares about you, go to a Veterans Center, call your family doctor, call your spiritual leader, find someone to talk to and begin to heal today. Tomorrow depends on what you do and instead of seeing your life slip away, take it back and heal.
And now a message from Papa Roy.
Good morning, encourage someone today!
Words do matter
A comforting, cheering, and encouraging word from any friend, that compassionates their distressed case; this lifts up the heart and inspires it with joy; so a word in season, raises up a soul that is bowed down, and gives it comfort and joy: such a good word is the Gospel itself; it is good news from a far country, which is like cold water to a thirsty soul, very refreshing and reviving. (J. Gill)
Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad. (Proverbs 12:25)
Today, you can encourage someone who is desiring to hear a word to cheer their heart. There are no better words than the Words found in the Bible. Do you know someone who needs a kind word? Today in prayer, thank Christ for His encouragement and ask Him to guide your heart to someone who needs a kind word. "Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. Though they do not cost much, they accomplish much. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image in other men's souls, and a beautiful image it is." – (Blaise Pascal)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New director brings personal experience to Vietnam vet center
New director brings personal experience to Vietnam vet center
Plans call for public education and outreach program
BY JACQUELINE HLAVENKA Staff Writer
HOLMDEL — William “Bill” Linderman is standing in the center of exhibit space at the Vietnam Era Educational Center in Holmdel, surrounded by a glass case filled with letters written by soldiers to their parents.
Each letter is handwritten, some expressing regrets, others sending messages of love.
“This really is dedicated to the 80,000 people — veterans — who went to Vietnam from New Jersey,” Linderman said, pointing out that some of the letters were from Neptune, Matawan and other locations in Monmouth County. “Out of that, 1,562 paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
A veteran himself, Linderman, the new executive director of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation, understands both the pride and struggle of serving one’s country.
“We like to think of it as a museum and a place where people can come to visit and reflect upon what went on during that time and where we are now,” Linderman said. “People are comparing Afghanistan to Vietnam, and they come here and observe the parallels. One of the important things about this place is that we try to present both sides. We want to include all different points of view because it was such a tumultuous time.”
read more here
New director brings personal experience to Vietnam vet center
Plans call for public education and outreach program
BY JACQUELINE HLAVENKA Staff Writer
HOLMDEL — William “Bill” Linderman is standing in the center of exhibit space at the Vietnam Era Educational Center in Holmdel, surrounded by a glass case filled with letters written by soldiers to their parents.
Each letter is handwritten, some expressing regrets, others sending messages of love.
“This really is dedicated to the 80,000 people — veterans — who went to Vietnam from New Jersey,” Linderman said, pointing out that some of the letters were from Neptune, Matawan and other locations in Monmouth County. “Out of that, 1,562 paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
A veteran himself, Linderman, the new executive director of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation, understands both the pride and struggle of serving one’s country.
“We like to think of it as a museum and a place where people can come to visit and reflect upon what went on during that time and where we are now,” Linderman said. “People are comparing Afghanistan to Vietnam, and they come here and observe the parallels. One of the important things about this place is that we try to present both sides. We want to include all different points of view because it was such a tumultuous time.”
read more here
New director brings personal experience to Vietnam vet center
When in harms way reaches back home
Thank you Mrs. Mullen! This really needs to be talked about because it is a very real problem, not just for the military wives but for veterans wives as well.
When they are deployed, the worst is possible while they are in harms way. The fear of them dying or being seriously wounded is always there until they walk thru the door again. That's when the families are needed the most but usually they have received so little while a spouse is deployed, they are unprepared for what they may face and even less prepared to cope.
How do you watch a stranger walk thru the door when the man you fell in love with, planned a future with, stood by and supported, never came home but the guy in your husband's body did? If you know what can happen, especially with PTSD, then you are more able to cope with the changes and the challenges of helping them heal instead of blaming yourself. If you have no clue, then it's easy to find blame in them as well as yourself. When this happens, you feel worthless. You believe you must have done something wrong. You believe it's all your fault they changed. You believe they "hate" you for a reason and you deserve it. All of this enters into your mind as you watch your life fall apart.
What you are watching is your marriage being infected by the same wound infecting your spouse. If you know what it is then you have tools to support the fact this has nothing to do with you, you didn't cause it but you sure as hell can beat it for their sake. After all, you know them better than anyone else and you'll be the first to see changes in the way they act. If you know what you're looking at, then you can fight it but if you don't the reason for all of it is only shown in your bathroom mirror. It's not your fault. It isn't their fault either. You don't deserve it but they don't deserve it either.
Your marriage does not have to end. Chaos does not have to rule over your house. You can help them if you get the support you need to do it. As hard as it was for my marriage to last 25 years to my Vietnam vet, it is harder on the current military spouse because of the redeployments along with military life itself. You need all the help you can get so that you can turn around and help another wife heal her marriage. Take heart that the military is finally getting this and God willing someday soon you'll get the help you need. It's not all hopeless and you are not helpless.
When they are deployed, the worst is possible while they are in harms way. The fear of them dying or being seriously wounded is always there until they walk thru the door again. That's when the families are needed the most but usually they have received so little while a spouse is deployed, they are unprepared for what they may face and even less prepared to cope.
How do you watch a stranger walk thru the door when the man you fell in love with, planned a future with, stood by and supported, never came home but the guy in your husband's body did? If you know what can happen, especially with PTSD, then you are more able to cope with the changes and the challenges of helping them heal instead of blaming yourself. If you have no clue, then it's easy to find blame in them as well as yourself. When this happens, you feel worthless. You believe you must have done something wrong. You believe it's all your fault they changed. You believe they "hate" you for a reason and you deserve it. All of this enters into your mind as you watch your life fall apart.
What you are watching is your marriage being infected by the same wound infecting your spouse. If you know what it is then you have tools to support the fact this has nothing to do with you, you didn't cause it but you sure as hell can beat it for their sake. After all, you know them better than anyone else and you'll be the first to see changes in the way they act. If you know what you're looking at, then you can fight it but if you don't the reason for all of it is only shown in your bathroom mirror. It's not your fault. It isn't their fault either. You don't deserve it but they don't deserve it either.
Your marriage does not have to end. Chaos does not have to rule over your house. You can help them if you get the support you need to do it. As hard as it was for my marriage to last 25 years to my Vietnam vet, it is harder on the current military spouse because of the redeployments along with military life itself. You need all the help you can get so that you can turn around and help another wife heal her marriage. Take heart that the military is finally getting this and God willing someday soon you'll get the help you need. It's not all hopeless and you are not helpless.
Wife Says Military Spouses Also Face Suicide Risk
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: January 13, 2010
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The wife of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had a message Wednesday for those trying to prevent military suicides: Don't forget the spouses.
Deborah Mullen said Army leaders told her that they lack the ability to track suicide attempts by family members of Army personnel.
''I was stunned when I was told there are too many to track,'' Mullen said, speaking on stage at a military suicide prevention conference next to her husband, Adm. Mike Mullen.
She urged the military to get a better handle on the problem and implement prevention measures with spouses in mind.
read more here
Wife Says Military Spouses Also Face Suicide Risk
Veteran Suicides Prompts Immediate Response and Action
Veteran Suicides Prompts Immediate Response and Action from VA and SEN. Murray
The Military Wire received numerous emails regarding yesterday's news of the government report acknowledging double digit increases in veteran suicides. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, reach out. Suicide is final. It has generational impact - on a personal note, my family experienced this in October 2009 and it will stay with us forever.
Post this number: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
The military and our government are not taking yesterday's news lightly. The VA stated that suicide rates among veterans between the age 18 - 29 went up 26 percent from 2005 to 2007 and continued to climb in 2008 and 2009, reaching record levels in 2009.
This has prompted the VA to consider more stringent protocols be put in place on how to handle veterans contemplating suicide
read more here
Veteran Suicides Prompts Immediate Response and Action
The Military Wire received numerous emails regarding yesterday's news of the government report acknowledging double digit increases in veteran suicides. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, reach out. Suicide is final. It has generational impact - on a personal note, my family experienced this in October 2009 and it will stay with us forever.
Post this number: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
The military and our government are not taking yesterday's news lightly. The VA stated that suicide rates among veterans between the age 18 - 29 went up 26 percent from 2005 to 2007 and continued to climb in 2008 and 2009, reaching record levels in 2009.
This has prompted the VA to consider more stringent protocols be put in place on how to handle veterans contemplating suicide
read more here
Veteran Suicides Prompts Immediate Response and Action
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