After combat talk about it

After combat talk about it
by Chaplain Kathie
Why would anyone think they needed to "get over it" or forget about something so important in their lives? Telling them to forget is like telling them to forget the friends they made, the people they cared about, the good times as well as the bad ones. Telling them to forget is like saying it didn't matter, no big deal, even if they saw someone they knew blown up in front of their eyes or saluted as the coffin with the flag was carried away. It all mattered and it still should but it doesn't have to take control of the rest of their lives.

We know what has to happen and we know what works. Considering Combat PTSD has been studied for 40 years, there isn't much that has not been done. The only thing new coming out of all the studies is the brain scans showing the changes in the brain. As for the rest, they keep repeating mistakes, like changing the name that is used to describe this.

A wise friend of mine told me today that this thing with considering changing the D in PTSD to I for injury was all about money. A disorder is life long but an injury can be "cured" even though they have never cured PTSD. Veterans can heal and live better lives making peace with what they had to go through but only a few have claimed they found the cure for it. If that were true then they'd be billionaires and we'd see a lot less suicides.

We can make it better for all of them if we stop treating them like the rest of the population and finally get it through our heads they are not like the rest of us as far as what we asked them to do. They are like us as far as being human, getting hurt, having their lives changed by events and all they need to be happy. What do we need? Someone to talk to. Knowing someone cares enough about us to listen to us without judging. Instead of trying to "fix us" we need them to help us stand on our own two feet by being there when we're down. We need to know we matter to someone! They need the same. Is that too much to ask?

Medal of Honor Hero Sammy Davis and his wife Dixie took time out during the Orlando Nam Knights Homes For Our Troops annual fundraiser to talk about life after combat. As you can hear in the video, Sammy was spending too much time with me and needed to get on the stage. What they wanted to say was too important to cut short. I feel totally blown away they would spend that much time with me, but considering how wonderful this couple is, I knew how much their message to the troops was.

Sammy and Dixie feel strongly that the men and women coming home need to stop suffering in silence. Talk about it! Sammy said "We're not supposed to forget about it."

Dixie wants the spoused to know that we all need to support them and help them talk to someone, if not us. Dixie also shared how her first husband died of cancer caused by Agent Orange.

If you want to know how to stop military suicides, this is it. Changing the name won't help. Giving them pills and sending them on their way won't help. We've made all the mistakes and have seen the terrible results. It is time to stop just talking about them and start listening to them.