Defense contractor takes to waters to talk about PTSD

A lot of people think PTSD is a "weakness" until it hits them. Mary Shoutherland thought that way until she discovered first hand what it was. Now she it trying to change of minds of others like her before they get the same kind of shocking awareness that told her what the truth was.

A journey to raise awareness
Times Online
By Kristen Doerschner
August 6, 2013

BRIDGEWATER — Monday evening a kayak docked along the Ohio River at Bridgewater Crossing.

Mary Southerland got out of the vessel along with her dog, Henry. Southerland set up camp for the night.

Her trip isn’t just a recreational venture. Southerland — who was a civilian contractor in Iraq — is trying to raise awareness about veterans and contractors who are returning from service and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Southerland, 35, of Salt Lake City, Utah, began her journey Sunday. She put her kayak in the water in Pittsburgh and plans to travel to Cairo, Ill. She estimates it will take 54 days to complete her journey.

Southerland worked for the Department of Defense in Iraq from 2008 to 2009, in Colorado from 2010 to 2011, and she returned to Iraq in 2012 under the Department of State. A contractor with a linguistics company, Southerland was essentially in quality assurance for prisoner education.

Most of the foreign prisoners are illiterate, she said. Her job was to make sure the linguists were teaching the prisoners what they were supposed to.

“War trauma” is what Southerland describes her experience as. She said she eventually hit a breaking point in December, was diagnosed as having PTSD and was sent home.

“I didn’t believe in mental injury before that,” Southerland said. She said she always thought things like PTSD were based on weakness. “I’m ashamed I thought that,” she said.
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