Subscribe
Story by Sgt. LeeAnn Lloyd
22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Combat stress is a new name for an old concept. During the American Civil War it was known as "Soldier's Heart," described by physician J.M. Da Costa as a condition of "strain or over reaction of the heart." The term "shell shock" was coined during the First World War and it was called "combat fatigue" during World War II. Regardless of the name, the symptoms were the same as Soldiers experienced difficulty sleeping (or nightmares when they were able to), flashbacks and lack of concentration.
During the aftermath of these wars, Soldiers were often told they were 'weak' for having reactions to what they had been through. Now steps are being taken by the military to try and prevent troops from experiencing painful symptoms. The key to prevention could be something as simple as bringing mental health care to the Soldiers on the front lines, instead of waiting for those Soldiers on the front lines to seek it out.
Air Force Maj. Sharon Gober is a social worker with the Mental Health Clinic at Kandahar Air Field. Her combat stress team's mission is to get out to the forward operating bases where Soldiers tend to feel forgotten.
"If we can talk to a person right after an incident, we're hoping to minimize some of those symptoms so it doesn't become more of a disorder in the long run," Gober said.
This proactive approach is not only a new step for the American forces, but also for the Canadian forces who lead healthcare for Regional Command (South). According to Mental Health Nurse Capt. Brian Harvey, KAF's Role-3 hospital is developing a policy that would make FOB trips by mental health workers a regular occurrence. The idea behind the policy is that the closer healthcare professionals are to the front lines, the quicker the issues Soldiers are having can be addressed.
"We want to let people know that it's ok to talk to us. We'd like for people to realize that some of these issues can be talked about informally...over a meal," Harvey said. "The important thing is just that you talk."
The term "combat stress" does not only apply to those serving on the front lines. It can affect those simply feeling the everyday pressures of serving in a combat zone.
"The misnomer about combat stress is it's not just physically engaging in combat. A lot of what is stressful is just the deployment ... It's not normal for us to be sitting in Afghanistan with our loved ones in the United States or at home stations, yet that's what we have to do as a military," Gober said.
Harvey has served at KAF for about eight months and has noticed trends. Troops want to talk at the end of their tours, after the missions are over and the reality of going home starts to set in. One thing in particular haunts many U.S. Army troops, whose deployments are nearly twice as long as those in other forces: the "Dear John" letter they receive in the month or two before they are supposed to redeploy - their significant others just couldn't wait any more.
Regardless of the severity, talking about issues now rather than later could be the difference between simple counselling for combat stress and the serious issue of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Homelessness, marital problems, domestic violence and substance abuse are just a few potential ways PTSD can affect a Soldier.
"It's easier for us to go home and start drinking, or start taking pain killers or other kind of things because it's easier to not deal with it, to try and avoid the pain that we're going through because we don't understand it. Where do the symptoms you're having really start to disrupt your daily normal life? That is when we are really encouraging these guys to get help," Gober said.
There are many ways for troops to deal with combat stress. Seek out the guidance of a healthcare professional or chaplain. Look for clubs or organizations on the base, or even start one if one doesn't exist.
"It's all about balance. Make sure you're balancing your work schedule with your down time. Some of us need a lot of sleep, some of us not as much. Some of us need to eat, some of us not as much. Find that balance for you, but make sure the basic fundamental needs are taken care of," Gober said.
Harvey also said not to rule out the potential of the Soldier sitting next to you as the best defense against combat stress on the front lines.
"Make use of the buddy system. Help your buddy out, and get help from him. Talk about it. That guy sitting next to you may be thinking the same thing as you, except he won't say it. I am a firm believer that the best people to help are within the buddy system," Harvey said. "We (Mental Health) are just here when something else goes wrong."
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2007 08:50 |
| Story ID: | 10279 |
| Location: | KANDAHAR, AF |
| Web Views: | 151 |
| Downloads: | 139 |
This work, Battling combat stress: Mental health care moves to the front lines, by Leeann Lloyd, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
