Pentagon hopes stories help troops with PTSD

[unhappycamper]

Pentagon hopes stories help troops with PTSD
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Monday, February 9, 2009

ARLINGTON, Va. — During the wars of 5 B.C., the ancient Greeks would perform plays about conflict for audiences of soldiers.

Some dealt with the psychological toll of combat on warriors, long before the coining of the phrase "post-traumatic stress disorder."

The Defense Department believes that talking about why and how servicemembers seek help for combat stress will help eliminate the stigma associated with psychological injuries.

So it is launching "Real Warriors" — a program in which servicemembers can talk about and listen to the stories of those who sought help for psychological injuries or traumatic brain injuries.

"This will be a campaign that is built upon harnessing the stories of our warriors, their family members, leaders as well as the various members of our community, whether it be the scientists, the faith leaders, the teachers, the civic leaders, the policymakers — we’re all in this together — and to be able to tell the story of real warriors facing real battles both on as well as off the battlefield, with wounds both visible and invisible," said Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60587



uhc comment: Ever hear the saying that war is good for business? It is.

Unfortunately, it's bad for human beings.

PTSD has been around along as war has. I had a shell-schocked Uncle who was in VA facilities after his tour in Korea. For those who remember Vietnam, did you ever meet some rather strange ex-soldiers? Comments like "He's never been the same since he returned"?

Most of the current crop of military leaders served in Vietnam and they are finally starting to remember how PTSD affected troops? Gimmeafuckingbreak.