Taking the D out of PTSD but not the way you think

Taking the D out of PTSD but not the way you think
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
August 31, 2013

This is what the military tells them

Punitive Articles of the UCMJ Article 134—General article

“Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special, or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.”

But this is what disorder means when part of Post Traumatic Stress

Definition of DISORDER
1: to disturb the order of
2: to disturb the regular or normal functions of

Medal of Honor Recipient Ty Carter Says Drop the ‘D’ from PTSD. Carter addresses stigmas associated with PTSD on 'Morning Joe' but think about what else still going on. The stigma is still alive and strong while too many are not alive and more are not feeling so strong about seeking help.

I'll give away the date of this report below.

Army fights stigma of mental care By ROBERT H. REID – 2 hours ago

BAGHDAD (AP) — A military culture that values strength and a "can do" spirit is discouraging thousands of soldiers from seeking help to heal the emotional scars of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite top-level efforts to overcome the stigma, commanders and veterans say.

Up to one-fifth of the more than 1.7 million military members who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan are believed to have symptoms of anxiety, depression and other emotional problems. Some studies show that about half of those who need help do not seek it.

"It's a reality that for some — certainly not all, but for some — there's a stigma to stepping forward for behavioral health," Maj. David Cabrera, who runs counseling services at a military hospital in Germany, told The Associated Press.

"Our goal is to eradicate the stigma," he said. "We're not there yet."

Encouraging more soldiers to seek help, and training leaders to spot signs of trouble, have taken on new urgency since the fatal shooting last Monday of five U.S. service members at a counseling center at Baghdad's Camp Liberty.

Army Sgt. John M. Russell has been charged with five counts of murder. He was finishing his third tour in Iraq and had been ordered to seek counseling at the center, the Army said.

Sergeants on their third or fourth assignments to Iraq or Afghanistan are more than twice as likely to suffer mental health problems as those on their first assignment to a combat zone, according an Army study last year.

This wasn't last week last month or even last year. It was in 2009. The same year Ty's heroic efforts saved lives.

Specialist Ty M. Carter distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Scout with Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on October 3, 2009

This goes to show that as for providing the troops with awareness of what PTSD is, they have not done their job. As for taking the "D" out of PTSD, we need to start taking the "dumb" out of how the military views it and then the letter won't matter as much. The label has been changed far too many times already and as we've seen by the results, didn't do any good before.