Iowa Soldiers Watch For Signs Of PTSD

Master Sergeant Robert Warrington of the Iowa National Guard could not be taking a more pro-active role when it comes to traumatic events. Decompressing after events, talking about what happens, prevents it from being stuffed into the "back" of the brain.

Many of you know I belong to the International Fellowship of Chaplains. It's a great group of people, quiet heroes, showing up all over the country when traumatic events happen. They show up for police, firefighters and emergency responders. They also show up for victims. It doesn't matter if it is a human tragedy or crime or natural disaster. They take care of the person in need.

When police officers have to respond to take care of others, they are there to take care of the officers, being there so they can talk about what happened. While tactical debriefings are part of the job, they need to "decompress" as humans. This has been known for many years. To hear of it happening with combat forces is the best thing that could happen.

Iowa Soldiers Watch For Signs Of PTSD
Emily Price
POSTED: 9:15 pm CDT May 11, 2009
JOHNSTON, Iowa -- President Barack Obama says he's "shocked and deeply saddened" by news that a U.S. soldier opened fire at a counseling center in Iraq, killing five fellow soldiers.

The president met with Defense Secretary Robert Gates to discuss the shooting at a sprawling U.S. base on the western edge of Baghdad.

The president said Monday, "I will press to ensure that we fully understand what led to this tragedy, and that we are doing everything we can to ensure that our men and women in uniform are protected as they serve our country so capably and courageously in harm's way."

Iowa National Guard soldiers just went through mandatory Post Traumatic Stress Disorder training in March and April to learn the signs and symptoms and how to get help, according to Master Sergeant Robert Warrington.

Warrington was a platoon sergeant in Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2006 through July 2007 with the 133rd Infantry based in Waterloo. During his tour, Warrington was in charge of 42 Iowa soldiers. He looked after their food, water, and perhaps most important, their mental health.

“We did have some stressful situations,” Warrington said.

For instance, a bomb blew up near Warrington's armored vehicle during a night time convoy.

“It was real loud. It took out all four tires on my truck, took out the windshield, my gunner got shrapnel in the face,” he said.

As the convoy ended that night Warrington made sure he and his men talked about what happened.

“I relayed the whole events of the day. What happened, what I should've done, what happened, what could've happened. That helped me decompress. Then the next morning I got up to see the chaplain with my crew,” he said.
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Iowa Soldiers Watch For Signs Of PTSD