PTSD:Troops must leave combat-readiness behind to succeed in civilian life

PERSONAL STORY: Maj. Doug Brown shows troops medals earned by his grandfather, who Brown says could have benefited from counseling after his military service. - ROBERT SCHEER / The Star

Home from Iraq, Indiana troops face post-traumatic stress
Indianapolis Star - United States
Troops must leave combat-readiness behind to succeed in civilian life
By Will Higgins
Posted: December 7, 2008
Scott Reske felt fine. The Marine lieutenant colonel had come through Iraq without a scratch.

Trouble had come his way -- mortar rounds, rocket-propelled grenades -- and he'd dodged it.

But soon after returning to Indiana, Reske had trouble sleeping. He was quick to anger. He drove aggressively.

Such behavior is typical for troops returning from Iraq. Reske, who has been back in the U.S. for four years, got counseling and in a matter of months was himself again.

For the 3,300 men and women of the Indiana National Guard's 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the reintegration is just beginning.

Gone are the roadside bombs and insurgent gunfire. But the hyper-awareness that helped them survive such threats remains.

Reske -- a state legislator who represents Madison County -- experienced that jarring inconsistency a few weeks after his return.

As he stepped out of the Statehouse into a light rain, he startled companions by diving to the ground. He'd heard a "whooshing" sound and seen a "flash of light." It was a woman opening a white umbrella.

Reske chuckled but also sought counseling. The counselor "helped me realize I was 'hyper-alert,' " Reske said. "It's a normal reaction."

Dr. Marsha Rocky calls it "hyper arousal" and says it comes from being constantly on guard.

Rocky, a psychologist heads the team of mental health professionals helping the 76th Infantry readjust to civilian life.

The brigade's soldiers, deployed to Iraq in March, began arriving home in November. The final group touched down this weekend. They have several days of debriefing at Camp Atterbury, the Johnson County military base, before going home.

click link above for more