Camp Pendleton Marines deserve better

BRETT: Shutting out help at Camp Pendleton
By BRIGID BRETT
For the North County Times Friday, May 30, 2008 2:27 PM PDT

In a June 19 interview, Camp Pendleton's Lt. Gen. James Mattis described what Marines experienced in Iraq as being "the most morally bruising kind of combat you could ever be in."

Yet in July, base officials claimed that less than 1 percent of its troops were suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder.

In August, I interviewed Dr. Dennis Reeves, retired Navy commander, neuropsychologist and former head of mental health at Camp Pendleton's Naval Hospital, who spoke about a "human tsunami" of men and women returning with undetected and unreported post-traumatic stress disorder.

"It is impossible to return from multiple deployments and not be seriously affected," he said. "Their nervous system is drastically altered, their emotions are out of control and a variety of symptoms begin to emerge: a need for high-risk activities, self-medicating with alcohol to take away some of the anxiety; or they're isolated, depressed and numb and wanting to recapture the adrenaline rush of combat."

That same week, when I learned that 19 Marines had died in motorcycle crashes during the year, I asked Camp Pendleton's base safety officer Charles Roberts to what he attributed the sharp increase in Marine motorcycle fatalities. "No one knows why the number of motorcycle fatalities is going up," he said.

When I asked whether it might be linked to troops returning from combat, he said the base had no way of tracking it. Neither is there any way of tracking how many Marines have been involved in motorcycle accidents that have ended in serious injuries, he said.

With this reluctance to either disclose or face the truth, perhaps it should come as no surprise that a letter from a base chaplain was circulated to his colleagues last year, strongly discouraging the attendance at the 15th Annual International Civilian and Military Combat Stress Conference founded by Dr. Bart Billings, a retired colonel who served in the first Persian Gulf War.

The reason: Billings' "advocacy" for Critical Incident Stress Management, the letter said, "runs contrary ... to USMC combat stress control practice." Despite the discouragement, the conference ran and I was able to attend part of it. I gathered a wealth of information from a wide range of speakers and experts, not only about combat stress but traumatic brain injury, domestic violence, substance abuse and other issues facing today's service members and their families.

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http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/05/30/
opinion/brett/doc484071115a840837255531.txt

I left this comment

I am posting a link to this on my blog. I've been working on PTSD for over 25 years and tracking just about everything going on with it all this time, as well as living with my husband. He's a Vietnam vet with PTSD. He's the reason I got into all of this.

I am also a Senior Ordained Certified Chaplain with the International Fellowship of Chaplains. I can tell you that CISM, Critical Incident Stress Management, is one of the pieces of training Chaplains receive that is highly regarded. It is used when we work with police officers, firefighters, emergency responders and individuals after trauma. All of the organizations use it because it works. Even the Army is using it in Iraq and Afghanistan when they rush in response teams after hard fought battles. The problem is there are not enough of them to go around.

To read about a Chaplain discouraging this is appalling and removes a critical tool from their efforts to alleviate the suffering that will follow when this is not done. All experts agree the sooner trauma is addressed the wound is stopped from getting worse. The Marines deserve better than this kind of attitude.

How is this possible? Given what the rest of the crisis responders know across the nation, what the emergency responders know, the police departments know and what the fire departments know, how can it be the military does not have a clue? How can a Chaplain even think it's a good thing to discourage CISM? It's what we train with! It's part of who we are to be able to respond to traumatic events in order to minimize the wake of effects on the survivors and care givers.

Some of us work with the victims. Some of us work with the responders. Each one of us are able to provide the assistance as we are called to do. I'm beginning to think the military brass needs a few training lessons in this to be able to understand how important it is. The Marines at Pendleton deserved so much more than this kind of response to their needs. This is a time when every resource at our disposal needs to be in place yet attitudes and rules get in the way of healing.

These are the requirements for a VA Chaplain,,,needless to say, I would not qualify even though I've been doing this work for 25 years!

INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS FOR VA CHAPLAINCY ABOUT CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION (CPE)


To qualify for VA Chaplaincy, you must have completed 2 units of CPE, or have equivalent training. Units of CPE completed and certified by The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, The National Association of Catholic Chaplains, and The College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy count toward this requirement.

Equivalent training is not less than 800 hours of supervised ministry in a health care setting, such as a hospital or nursing home, which incorporated both ministry formation and pastoral care skills development.

To be considered equivalent to CPE, training must include the following components:

1. It must be a formal educational program, with curriculum, theological reflection, and evaluation components, which includes a component of performing health care ministry.

2. The program must include 400 hours of supervised education, training and ministry for equivalency to one unit of CPE.

3. The educational supervisor(s), preceptor(s), teacher(s), or coach/mentor(s), responsible for the program must be qualified to provide the supervision.

4. The educational model must include an action/reflection component (that may vary from one program to another) that may have included but not be limited to: verbatims, case conferences, worship seminars, spiritual assessments, theological reflection, and group process.

In describing supervised ministry that you would like to be considered as “equivalent training” please include the following information for each period of training

• The beginning and ending dates of training

• The name and location of the institution(s) in which the supervised ministry was performed

• The name(s) and title(s) of the educational supervisor(s)/instructor(s)

• The total number of hours of performance of ministry, classroom or didactics, and individual meetings with the supervisor/instructor

This is a sample of what is required for Police Chaplains
Police/Fire Chaplains Requirements

For Chaplaincy Applicants
Download application for ecclesiastical approval or endorsement in the following ministries:

Institutional/Occupational Chaplaincy Application

These forms (in PDF format) require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, fill-in, and print the forms. Please sign and return completed forms, discussion materials, $45 application fee and a current professional quality photo (4x6 or 5x7). Remember to have official transcripts from all colleges and seminaries sent to us as well.

Police/Fire Chaplaincy Requirements

Chaplains serving with fire and police departments often work alongside the fire fighters and police officers they minister to in situations that threaten their own safety. These chaplains also minister to victims and families of those in trauma situations. Today, more than ever, these people need spiritual guidance, counseling for themselves and their families, and assistance coping with stressful occupations.

Ecclesiastical Endorsement

Ecclesiastical endorsement is the written acknowledgement by a faith group/denomination that an individual is in good standing and meets the qualifications for clergy credentials with their faith group/denomination. Generally speaking, major institutions, federal/state correctional systems, and healthcare facilities require that chaplains and pastoral counselors have the endorsement of their respective faith group/denomination. At the May 2004 meeting of the Commission on Chaplains adopted the following criteria for endorsement.

ADVANCED CHAPLAINCY ENDORSEMENT Ordination
2 years pastoral experience
MDIV (or its equivalent) with an institution accredited with Association of Theological Schools (ATS)
4 Units of CPE preferred, amount determined by hiring agency
Active, full-time paid chaplaincy position
Eligible for certification with professional organization
References including one from their District
Background check
Credit check
Approval by Endorser
Interview with the Commission on Chaplains

SPECIALIZED CHAPLAINCY ENDORSEMENT Ordination
2 years pastoral experience
Education as required by hiring agency
CPE as required by hiring agency
Be an active, paid chaplain working full or part time in a chaplaincy ministry.
References including one from their District
Background check
Credit check
Approval by Endorser
Interview with the Commission on Chaplains

BASIC CHAPLAINCY ENDORSEMENT General Council or District level credentials
Ministry experience
Education as required by hiring agency
References including one from their District
Background check
Credit check
Personal interview with a representative of the Department
Approval given by endorser
Ratification by Commission on Chaplains


Police and Fire Chaplaincy

Police and fire department chaplains should generally meet the following requirements. However, it is understood that all police and fire departments do not require their chaplains to meet these qualifications.

Credentialed by the Assemblies of God.
Two years of ministry with experience in conducting: baptisms, communion services, weddings, funerals, and death notifications.
Willingness to provide spiritual support for individuals of all faiths.
Make application to the National Chaplaincy Department for Endorsement. Level of endorsement is determined by the Chaplaincy Department and is based upon education, ministerial credentials, and employment status. (See Endorsement Levels.)
Interview with Commission on Chaplains or Chaplaincy Representative, depending on Endorsement Level.