Guard Medico: 25% of Vermont Deployers have PTSD

According to news reports, a medical spokesperson for the Vermont National Guard claims that 25 percent of that state's citizen-soldiers deployed to Afghanistan in 2009-2010 may be diagnosable with various symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.). Approximately 3,000 Vermonters deployed to Afghanistan with 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.). One of those soldiers, Pfc. Joshua Pallotta, 25, committed suicide last month. His family cites PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (T.B.I.), injuries sustained during his deployment.

"We want people to know that our son took his life because he was struggling with PTSD that he couldn't get out of, he couldn't see another way out and we just don't wan't this to happen to another veteran ever again," his mother Valerie Pallotta told WCAX-TV in this Sept. 29 story.

An Oct. 3 news report from TV station WPTZ reads:

Col. Martin Lucenti, the Vermont Guard's chief medical officer, said earlier this year that about 25 percent of the 3,000 soldiers who were part of the Guard's 2010 deployment to Afghanistan have PTSD symptoms of varying degrees. [...]

Lucenti said another Guard suicide since Josh's is under investigation. Over the past decade, guard officials have tallied 10 suicides; nine from the Army side and one from the Air side, he said.

Lucenti estimated about 25 percent of service members returning from deployments have experienced some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. While that is a contributing risk factor to suicide, medical and behavioral health experts said there are many other risk factors, including stressors like employment, housing, and alcohol and drug abuse.

The 86th BCT was one of only three U.S. National Guard brigade-sized units ever to manage full-spectrum operations for assigned provinces while deployed to Afghanistan. The unit was followed in 2010-2011 by Iowa's 2nd BCT, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division, and in 2011-2012 by Oklahoma's 45th Infantry "Thunderbird" BCT. The units' areas of responsibility included varying configurations of provinces within Eastern Afghanistan.

Pallotta served as a mortarman in Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry, a unit headquartered in Jericho, Vt. Again according to news reports, most of his deployment was spent at Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya Province, along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. At least two Vermont soldiers lost their lives fighting there in August 2010: Sgt. Tristan Southworth, 21, of Walden, Vt. and Sgt. Steven Deluzio, 21, of Glastonbury, Conn.

Pallotta committed suicide Sept. 23, 2014. A funeral was conducted Sept. 29.

Working together with the non-profit Blue Star Mothers of Vermont, the family has created a fund to assist citizen-soldiers who have been diagnosed with PTSD and/or TBI. The postal mailing address is: P.O. Box 195, Bakersfield, VT, 05441. A Facebook page is here. Or visit: www.bluestarmothersofvermont.org

A recent Facebook post by the organization reads, in part:

Donations have been pouring into the Josh Pallotta Fund, which will be used to help our Vermont Veterans who struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. For those who would like to donate through our website, the donation page has now been set up so you can designate specifically where your donation will be targeted. For those who have already donated, please be assured that those donations have been targeted specifically to the Josh Fund. Acknowledgement letters will be sent out as soon as possible. The Pallotta family and the Blue Star Mothers of Vermont are humbled by the support that is being received.

An oft-cited 2012 Veterans Affairs study estimates that up to 22 veterans a day commit suicide. The Pallotta family has also expressed hope that the story of their son would motivate individuals who are considering suicide to instead reach out to resources such as the Veterans Crisis Line.

The Veterans Crisis Line is a toll-free and on-line resource staffed by trained Department of Veterans Affairs personnel, who can confidentially assist soldiers, veterans, families and friends toward local help and resources.

According to the Veterans Crisis Line website:

1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.

Doonesbury's 'The Sandbox' Goes Into Archive Status

Excerpt from the 2006 announcement of "The Sandbox" project, then located on Doonesbury.com

"The Sandbox," a digest of mil-blogs and other original military writing, was recently placed into archive-only mode, back-dated to April 30, 2014. While for much of its run, "The Sandbox" appeared on the Slate magazine website, the content is now located on servers maintained by the Washington Post.

The site was created in October 2006 by Garry Trudeau, creator of the "Doonesbury" comic strip. Trudeau has used his art and multimedia platforms to consistently illuminate challenges faced by military personnel and their families, including: multiple deployments and separations; Improvised Explosive Devices; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Traumatic Brain Injury; Military Sexual Trauma; "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", and more. While new posts will no longer appear on the site, the content will be maintained indefinitely as a first-person testament to how military service members and families answered their country's call, and how they weathered those challenges with character and humor.

According to the April 30 post: "The Sandbox contains over 800 posts by more than 150 contributors. It is a vast body of work—the equivalent of three-and-a-half Lord of the Rings trilogies. You will be rewarded for roaming and exploring its depths." The final blog-post also features Doonesbury cartoons, photographs, and videos from its nearly 8-year history.

In 2007, some "Sandbox" content was published in a hardcopy anthology.

Content from the Red Bull Rising blog appeared on "The Sandbox" between 2010 and 2014. (Here's a list.)

In a post-script, editor David Stanford writes, "The Sandbox has been one of the most satisfying projects of my 35-year career as an editor. To all who contributed, thank you, for your service and your words. I am grateful for the friendships made here. Onward!"

Pairs of Parents Launch PTSD-Awareness Events June 7

As "Operation Engage America," two pairs of parents are partnering to provide California and Iowa military families with resources about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and veteran suicide. Together with veterans advocates, activists, and organizations, Jean and Howard Somers of San Diego, Calif., and Lisa and Jeff Naslund, Galva, Iowa, will host 4-hour information meetings in their respective states on June 7.

In the years to come, their goal is to see more "Community Days of Support, Awareness, and Education for Post-Traumatic Stress" every June, which is PTSD Awareness Month.

Daniel Somers during a deployment to Iraq. PHOTO: Somers family

Location for the California event is:

American Legion Post 731
7245 Linda Vista Rd.
San Diego, Calif. 92111

Location for the Iowa event is:

VFW Post 9662
1309 N.E. 66th Ave.,
Des Moines, Iowa 50313

California Army National Guard Sgt. Daniel Somers, 30, of Phoenix, Ariz. was a military intelligence soldier, rock musician, and Iraq War veteran. He died in June 2013.

Somers' parents subsequently urged the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to create more awareness and efficiencies regarding PTSD and veteran suicide.

Dillion Naslund during a deployment to Afghanistan. PHOTO: Naslund family 

Iowa Army National Guard Sgt. Dillion Naslund, 25, of Galva, Iowa was an infantry soldier, construction worker, and had deployed to Afghanistan in 2010-2011 with the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (34th Inf. Div.). His family's and community's reactions to his December 2013 death was the subject of a television documentary broadcast earlier this year, and previously mentioned on the Red Bull Rising blog.

In press materials related to the June 7 events, the Somers write:

We have learned countless facts over the past ten months: Among them, PTSD is not military-specific. It affects our first responders, victims of domestic, child and sexual abuse, even some of those who’ve experienced natural disasters and automobile accidents. Additionally, there are thousands of people who sincerely want to help. It is estimated that there are 44,000 volunteer organizations in the United States dedicated to helping service members and their families.

So, you may ask, what is the problem? The problem is visibility.

As parents of a married service member, we had no idea that there were resources for us, resources that could have helped us understand what our son went through, what he was going through and how to help him. We had no idea that we could have called the Veterans Administration and asked to speak with his mental health providers to give them a clearer picture of what changes we saw in Daniel. We had no idea that the Vet Center could have provided us insight and guidance in how to talk to him about his war experiences.

There has been much progress at the VA and DoD since Daniel last “touched” the government system that should have helped him. There is much still to be done. There are those 44,000 organizations trying to fill the many gaps. But how do you know who they are, how do you find them, how do you even know they are there for you?

Participating organizations include:

• American Legion

• Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America

• Paralyzed Veterans of America

• San Diego VA Medical Center

• VA Central Iowa Health Care System

• Veterans of Foreign Wars

For more information about Operation Engage America, visit the organizational website here.

For information about the California event, contact Jean or Howard Somers via e-mail: oea.sandiego@gmail.com

For information about the Iowa event, Lisa Naslund via e-mail: jelinasl@schallertel.net

Comic Book Review: 'Think Tank: Fun with PTSD'

Creators of "Think Tank," a monthly comic book about a super-genius young technologist and his battles from within the U.S. military-industrial complex, this week delivered a one-shot special issue titled "Fun with PTSD."

Published by Top Cow Productions, Inc. via Image Comics, the issue serves as a coda to the black-and-white series' initial 12-issue run. The series will relaunch in July as a full-color version. Think of it as a second season, similar to a TV series, in which the characters will continue in all-new stories.

Co-creator and writer Matt Hawkins reportedly came up with the "Think Tank" concept when his son told him that science was boring. Each issue even bears the warning: "Danger: Reading this book will make you smarter." Together with co-creator and artist Rahsan Ekedal, Hawkins has consistently presented challenging tales of morality and militarization, with gritty stories informed by today's technology forecasts.

Among other items, for example, past issues have featured submersible drones, high-tech camouflage suits, and genetically targeted weapons. As a bonus, each comic book typically features a number of text-only editorial pages, which point readers to additional references regarding the real-world, bleeding-edge technologies introduced in its stories. Think "Tom Clancy meets Danny Dunn" and you're in the ballpark.

The special PTSD issue hit the comic-book store racks, Wed., May 14. The 48-page edition is priced at $4.99, 25-cents of which will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. (About what Hawkins nets on a given book, after paying for artwork, publishing, and distribution, he writes.) A 20-page story involves prodigal scientist David Loren's attempt to create a tech-based solution to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.), in order to help save a Navy SEAL friend who is accused of (and admits to) murder. A breathless set of caption boxes introduces the story:

PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A brain injury caused by exposure to or experiencing traumatic events. These are common in combat situations.

Less than half the men and women with combat related PTSD see treatment because of a perceived stigmatism of weakness associated with it in military culture.

It's difficult for elite soldiers like Navy SEALs to admit they have a problem. They're trained to control their minds, to be calm in the face of extreme pressure.

The issue also includes 6 pages of "Think Tank" tech talk, and a 3-page teaser story for the next season. Some 10-pages of the issue is a preview of "Wildfire," a new tech-thriller about modified-plant genetics. The latter is also a bit talky, but, like "Think Tank," may grow on some readers—particularly those engaged by edgy predictions of the near-future.

As read by this veteran, "Fun with PTSD" is well-intended, heart-felt, and mostly on target. Sure, the soldiers and scientists are all drop-dead sexy, and the drone-flying puppies are cute as @#$%. This is an entertainment, after all, and it's engaging enough to look past the occasional mistakes in mil-speak. (Note to copy editors: It should be "JAG Corps office," not "JAG core office.")

The special issue's biggest success, however, is in illuminating for new audiences the topic of soldiers' mental health and injury. An entire page of editorial, for example, is dedicated to debunking myths about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, mostly using government-generated content:

• Myth: PTSD is brought on by a weakness of character. [...]

• Myth: People with PTSD are violent and unpredictable. [...]

• Myth: People with PTSD cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.

• Myth: People with PTSD, even those who have recovered, tend to be second-rate workers. [...]

• Myth: Once people develop PTSD, they will never recover. [...]

• Myth: Therapy and self-help are a waste of time. Why bother when you can just take a pill? [...]

• Myth: I can't do anything for a person with PTSD. [...]

For all the chewy facts and myth-busting, however, the comic pages themselves are a bit fuzzy on the details, potentially conflating Traumatic Brain Injury (T.B.I.), PTSD, and military veteran suicide. All are very real problems, and may have some overlap or relation to one another. Casual readers—the ones who skip over Hawkins' discussion points—may be left with the impression that they are all directly related, and probably causal: that TBI begets PTSD begets suicidal thoughts and actions. I'm not an expert, but I'm not sure that's the case.

Readers may also be left with the impression that PTSD could someday be cured by some sort of techno-magical targeted brain-rebuilder. There is no magic bullet, no pill, no therapy or treatment method that works for 100 percent of veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Everyone has their own war, and their own roads to recovery. That's why research and education continue to be so important.

Finally, given the melodramatic storyline, "Think Tank" readers may conclude that all military veterans are somehow mentally broken, "ticking time bombs," or former- or future- murderers. Such characterizations and stereotypes are themselves drivers of the stigmatization some veterans feel regarding mental health status, not only in military environments, but in today's news media.

Still, it's commendable that Hawkins and Ekedal have lobbed a reasonably informed—and informative—wake-up grenade at their readers. War isn't always easily addressed through technology, and neither are its after-effects. Sending the fictional scientist David Loren on an exploration of PTSD was a creative risk worthy of reward and recognition ... and continued conversations by its readers.

*****

The "Think Tank" series has been collected in three hardcopy trade paperbacks: Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3.

Single issues, one-shots, and collections—including the recent "Fun with PTSD" special—are also available in digital formats via Comixology here.

A free PDF sample of Think Tank No. 1 is available from Top Cow Productions here.

Vietnam to Today, 'Doonesbury' Tells Soldiers' Stories

During Operation Desert Storm—when I was a young lad going to school for my country—I carried in my cargo pocket a laminated Doonesbury comic strip, clipped out of a newspaper. (I've mentioned this in a blog-post before.) Doonesbury is written and drawn by Garry Trudeau. In my Desert Storm favorite, a Vietnam veteran was telling war stories to new soldiers. One of the soldiers asks, "Really, you shot your own officers?"

"Just the dumb ones," replies the character B.D. "Lieutenants mostly."

For me, who was then himself studying to be a young Army leader, the Doonesbury comic was the equivalent to that quote from "Patton" (1970). In that movie, the famous general tells of the ancient Roman practice of reminding its heroes that "all glory is fleeting."

Earlier this year, the 65-year-old Trudeau announced the daily strip would be going on extended hiatus, so that he could focus on other projects—including the successful Internet-TV series "Alpha House."

Parallel to that announcement came news that "The Sandbox," a Doonesbury-sponsored digest of first-person military writing about Iraq and Afghanistan, would soon cease publication of new content. The digest started in October 2006, when the practice of mil-blogging was just gaining recognition and popularity.

Even though new content will soon cease, plans call for The Sandbox to remain on-line indefinitely as an archive of veterans' perspectives of Iraq and Afghanistan. (A 2007 print collection, "Doonesbury.com's The Sandbox: Dispatches from Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan," continues to be available via booksellers.)

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Trudeau has long used comics to communicate stories to provoke and educate non-military audiences about the realities of war, service, and deployment. His character B.D. started out in the Vietnam War, served in the Gulf War, and lost a leg in the Iraq War. The more-recent character Leo "Toggle" DeLuca was injured in an ambush in Iraq, where he lost an eye and now has difficulty speaking. B.D.'s close friend Ray Hightower was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.). Melissa "Mel" Wheeler is an Army sergeant and a survivor of Military Sexual Trauma (M.S.T.). Her best friend is Roz, a soldier who happens to be gay.

Vietnam War-era Doonesbury comics are being re-run on weekdays 

during Garry Trudeau's extended hiatus. Many resonate with readers

given present-day situations.

In a time- and mind-bending twist, during the extended hiatus, the daily Doonesbury strip now features classic runs from the 1970s. Last week, the strip told the story of B.D.'s arrival in Vietnam. "I arrived in Vietnam yesterday and I must say, I love it," B.D. writes home. "I'm stationed at Firebase Bundy in the Delta and I've got my own bunker and machine gun!!" Suddenly, a heck of a firefight opens up overhead. "Well, have to run now. Much love, B.D."

That reminded me of mil-blogging.

It doesn't take much to see other parallels there, of writing letters from downrange, of communicating truths through humor, of finding yourself and your country stuck in a foreign place, uncomfortable and under fire.

I hope Trudeau keeps telling his stories as long as he can. Our democracy and soldiers are well-served by truth-tellers, even those armed with a sense of snark. I can also hope, however, that my daughter and son will one day read Doonesbury—whether those from Vietnam or the Gulf War or Iraq—and maybe not understand as many of the jokes as I did.

Before and after Afghanistan, my buddy Archer and I used to continually quote the 2004 Battlestar Galactica TV series, which was itself a nod to the concept of eternal return: "All this has happened before, and all this will happen again." What does it say that we recognize ourselves and our wars in some funny pages first published more than four decades ago?

While I no longer wear a uniform, I now keep that favorite Doonesbury strip in my journalist go-bag. It reminds me of the good old days, and keeps me humble. Even though history may not repeat itself, after all, it sure does rhyme upon occasion.

All this has happened before.

And all glory is fleeting.

Special 'O-Dark-Thirty' Spotlights Summer Workshop

The Veterans Writing Program, Washington, D.C. has released a special edition of its print and on-line literary journal, "O-Dark-Thirty." The issue's content was created in a summer writing and film-making seminar on the Mount Vernon campus of George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

The 2013 event was part of a veterans writing initiative sponsored by the university's writing program.

More than 40 military service members, veterans, and family members from around the nation participated in the week-long residential seminar. There, they crafted films, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and plays.

The resulting special issue is available on-line as a free PDF download here. The issue features seven works of non-fiction, six poems, and two plays. This is the second time plays or scripts have been presented on the pages of "O-Dark-Thirty," which has been published since spring 2013.

Instructors at the seminar included:

• Joseph Bathanti, poetry

• Mark Farrington, fiction

• Kelly Kennedy, non-fiction

• KJ Sanchez, playwriting

The allied non-profit Patton Veterans Project, New York, N.Y. also supported the event via its I Was There Film Workshops.

The non-profit organization was founded by Benjamin Patton, the youngest grandson of World War II Gen. George S. Patton, and author of 2012's "Growing Up Patton." The organization's work focuses addressing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.) and Traumatic Brain Injury (T.B.I.) through film and narrative. At the June 2013 seminar, film-making instructors also included Christina Raia, Minos Papas, Sean Mannion, and Alex Arbogast.

Seven short films created by seminar participants can be viewed on-line here.

A website for the Patton Veterans Project is here. A Facebook page is here.

A website for the Veterans Writing Project is here. A Facebook page is here. The organization's "O-Dark-Thirty" literary journal website is here. Single issues or 4-issue subscriptions are available here.

The cover of the special "O-Dark-Thirty" issue was designed by veteran Janis Albuquerque.

'Blue Nostalgia' Explores Military Trauma, Growth

Presenting first-person non-fiction narratives of trauma and growth, "Blue Nostalgia: A Journal of Post-Traumatic Growth" explores themes related to combat, sexual assault, and homecoming. The recently debuted journal joins three other publications by the Kentucky-based non-profit organization Military Experience and the Arts (M.E.A.):

• The Journal of Military Experience

• The Blue Falcon Review: A Journal of Military Fiction

• Blue Streak: A Journal of Military Poetry

The term "nostalgia" used in the title refers to a medical diagnosis of homesickness, prevalent during the American Civil War.

Blue Nostalgia is a product of the MEA's Veterans' PTSD Project. The 81-page first issue presents the stories of seven veterans. For a free downloadable PDF version of the issue, click here.

"Surviving war and rape is hell, and [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder] is very difficult; yet these authors have found a way to grow. Exposure therapy or writing about trauma helps foster strength in PTSD survivors. We create the environment in which growth can occur," writes Managing Editor Joseph R. Miller in his introduction. Later, he continues:

PTSD may not be the right diagnosis for every one of these authors; the common bonds between our authors are survival, loss, difficulty in life after the military, and the shared strength of accepting the way violence has shaped them. Tragedy and trauma in uniform takes many forms, and each author’s path toward growth is both an idiosyncratic representation of self and a story of survival. 

Our authors have found growth through things as diverse as faith in Jesus Christ to the love of their children, among other routes. They all have taken ownership of their traumatic pasts through the process of writing and revision. The road has been hard, but by writing they have faced their memories. We hope that what you read will forever be a source of growth and strength.

Art teacher, Gulf War veteran, and Maryland Army National Guard soldier Ron Whitehead designed the journal's cover.

Women Veterans Film Airs Nov. 8 and Free On-line

A 2011 documentary about women veterans will air tonight, Fri., Nov. 8, 2013 on Public Broadcast Service television stations nationwide, via the PBS World service. According to the PBS website, "Service: When Women Come Marching Home" will also be available for on-line viewing free during the month of November.

The documentary by Marcia Rock and Patricia Lee Stotter describes the post-deployment experiences of eight veterans, who served in the Cold War and the Persian Gulf, to present-day Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to press materials:

From the deserts of Afghanistan to rural Tennessee, from Iraq to New York City, these women wrestle with prosthetics, homelessness, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Military Sexual Trauma. Their pictures and videos shot in Iraq and Afghanistan speak volumes. Told through their voices during everyday life in kitchens, grocery stores and even therapy sessions, the documentary is a wake-up call to the unknowing civilian population to the challenges female veterans face returning from duty.

Distribution via PBS was underwritten by the Disabled American Veterans (D.A.V.) organization.

For a PBS station-locator, click here. A PDF broadcast schedule is available here.

For the official "Service" documentary website, click here.

For a Facebook page for the documentary, click here.

'Grimm Fairy Tales' Comic Benefits Wounded Warriors

"Grimm Fairy Tales Wounded Warriors Special" (Cover A) by Zenescope Entertainment

Grimm Fairy Tales
2013 Wounded Warriors Special
Cover A

Huey helicopters don't have three blades. Marines don't call themselves "soldiers." Still, while military veterans might get all kit-picky about some of the artwork and vocabulary, for the most part, this one-shot special issue of the comic book Grimm Fairy Tales hits the right targets. And it's aimed at a good cause.

The storyline features some familiar fast-tropes: Supernatural Good Gal "Sela" gets knocked out of commission on Page 8. Marines have to protect and evacuate her safely. Meanwhile, despite demon-powered hordes harking at the gates, a CIA operative debates the lead sergeant regarding what's at stake, and what it means to sacrifice.

In a must-read one-page editorial facing the story's end-page, Zenescope Entertainment President Joe Brusha double-taps the moral:

As a parent, I can barely imaging sending my child off to a foreign land to serve our nation, where they would be in almost constant peril. But countless families do that every day. Not all of those children come home. Some of those that do return come back with mental and physical injuries that no person should ever have to endure.

Proceeds from the $6.99 book will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. The issue first hit comic book store stands on Wed., July 24, 2013. The issue may also be available via Amazon and other online retailers. Digital download is available via Comixology.

Grimm Fairy Tales
2013 Wounded Warriors Special
Cover C

On a lighter note, I purchased the cheesecake pinup Cover A by Sean Chen and Ivan Nunes. Thanks to them, I will never look at flak jackets in the same way again. Had it been available at my local store, however, I might've opted for Jamal Igle and Simon Gough's equally blouse-popping Cover C, which features a fatigue-wearing Sela dropping the devil for push-ups.

"Drop and give me 20 eons"?! And you thought Boot Camp was hell ...

*****

An earlier draft of this review was posted at the iFanboy comics website here.

Mil-blogger Adds New Voices to PTSD Site

A former M2 "Bradley" driver, Kentuckian Scott Lee is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, an associate editor with The Journal of Military Experience, and founder of the blog "PTSD: A Soldier's Perspective," which he has written since 2007. After years of writing about his own experiences with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.), Lee says, the blog hit a something of a sweet spot. He realized he'd helped establish a community of people asking similar questions about everyday life with PTSD.

Lee describes how his blog has evolved from a mission of personal discovery, to one of mutual support, peer-mentorship, and even healing:

In the beginning, my blog was anything but healing, a lot of venting of anger and triggering others. I was all about shocking people by revealing my inner self. I still do that in some form, the graphic nature of our condition needs a similar style to make others understand through the use of metaphors. It wasn't until 2009 that it began to take on a healing message. It was in 2010 that I really started to notice the natural development of a mentoring system through working with other writers and caregivers on expressing themselves through blogging.

The blog's formal mission statement now reads: "to educate, support and engage Veterans and Caregivers."

Contacted by those caring for loved ones diagnosed with PTSD, Lee says, he was able to tell strangers what he'd previously forgotten or failed to tell his own friends and family. "It allowed me to say to them what I failed to tell my ex-wives and caregivers in the past," he says. "The insights drawn from my experience of two messy divorces offers help to others in navigating obstacle courses that derailed my life. Often I find myself in discussions [with caregivers and veterans] about why and how we think, feel, and act."

After a recent site redesign, Lee has been joined by a cadre of contributors, each offering his or her own voice and perspective regarding PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (T.B.I.), and Military Sexual Trauma (M.S.T.).

Those contributing to Lee's blog include other alumni from The Journal of Military Experience and the 2012 Military Experience and Arts Symposium, including Travis Martin, Michelle Monte, and Angela Peacock, as well as others.

While the events they describe may have happened years ago, some of the featured personal narratives are immediate, brutal, and raw. These are stories of military service, sacrifice, and struggle, but they are the kind that too often remain untold. The public needs to see and hear the realities of these stories, just as much as those who face such challenges every day.

Lee's plain-spoken disclaimer, found on the front-page of his blog, attempts to put the truth-telling into context: "This site contains emotionally charged and graphic accounts of experiences concerning Military PTSD," it reads. "You may be triggered if suffering from a psychological injury and others may equally be affected!"

In addition to blogging, Lee pursues other writing interests in both fiction and non-fiction. In 2012, he assisted Heroes Fallen Studios' Clayton Murwin in interviewing Korean War veterans for an upcoming two-volume graphic novel, underwritten by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Lee also maintains a Facebook fan page for his PTSD-themed blog. Click here for more information.

*****

Note: This content regarding military writing is underwritten by Victor Ian LLC, a military media and gaming business. The business publishes Lanterloon, an eclectic lifestyle, technology, and military blog; has a physical retail storefront called "Dragons and Dragoons" located in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and hosts military-writing workshops and other events under the "Sangria Summit" brand name.

2 TV Docs Focus on Guard Soldiers Nov. 10

A 28-minute documentary featuring citizen-soldiers deployed with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division premieres on public television stations statewide in Iowa tomorrow (Thurs., Nov. 10) at 7:30 p.m., Central Daylight Time.

Titled "Iowa Soldiers Remember Afghanistan," the documentary was compiled from Iowa Public Television (IPTV), Des Moines (Iowa) Register, and Department of Defense video, and will air three additional times on Veterans Day Fri., Nov. 11.

On-air schedule for "Iowa Soldiers Remember Afghanistan":

• Thurs., Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m. on IPTV
• Fri., Nov. 11, 5:00 p.m. on IPTV World
• Fri., Nov. 11, 8:30 p.m. on IPTV World
• Fri., Nov. 11, 10:30 p.m. on IPTV

Also premiering on public television stations nationwide is "Where Soldiers Come From," an 86-minute documentary focusing on three Michigan National Guard soldiers deployed to Afghanistan's Khost Province in 2009.

According to press materials: "As it chronicles the young men's transformation from restless teenagers to soldiers looking for roadside bombs to 23-year-old combat veterans trying to start their lives again, the film offers an intimate look at the young Americans who fight our wars, the families and towns they come from--and the way one faraway conflict changes everything."

In discussing challenges citizen-soldiers face upon their return from deployment, the film covers topics such as Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury.

The Iowa on-air schedule for "Where Soldiers Come From":

• Thurs., Nov. 10, 2011 9:00 p.m. (IPTV)
• Wed., Nov. 16, 2011 7:30 a.m. (IPTV World)
• Wed., Nov. 16, 2011 1:30 p.m. (IPTV World)
• Wed., Nov. 16, 2011 6:30 p.m. (IPTV World)
• Sat., Nov. 19, 2011 11:00 a.m. (IPTV World)

For local listings elsewhere, use the Zip Code-based locator here.

TBI/PTSD Study Involving Red Bull Soldiers Published

The American Forces Press Service reports that the January 2011 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry--a journal of the American Medical Association (A.M.A.)--presents a study of Traumatic Brain Injury (T.B.I.) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.). Participants included more than 900 soldiers of 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (1-34th BCT), which deployed to Iraq in 2005-2007.

That deployment included Iowa National Guard's 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1/133rd Inf.) and Nebraska's 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment (1/134th Cav.). Both units are currently deployed to Afghanistan along with the 34th Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2-34th BCT).

The study was sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Soldiers were questioned approximately one month prior to leaving Iraq (part of the Iraq "surge" strategy, the 1-34th BCT deployment was extended to an Army-record-breaking 16-months in-country), and again via written questionnaire one year after returning to the United States.

To the surprise of those conducting the study, the research indicated little long-term effect from "mild" TBI--injuries that cause a person to be momentarily dazed or unconscious for less than 20 minutes, and that cause no physical injury to brain or skull. Such injuries can result from roadside bombs and other attacks.

"There's been a lot of attention paid to PTSD and mild TBI and even suicide risk, but the prevalence of problem drinking appears to be much higher among returning service members than any of these other problems," said Melissa A. Polusny, a clinical psychologist at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System and a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School. The brigade surgeon Col. (Dr.) Michael Rath also collaborated in the research.

For Polusny, the study points to a need to carefully screen for PTSD, so that that soldiers and healthcare providers correctly match treatment and injury. "If a veteran is having irritability and memory problems, and assumes he had a concussion when maybe he is suffering from PTSD symptoms ... " she said, "we need to make sure we are treating veterans for the right problems."

The study did not address long-term effects from repeated head trauma, which other studies may have linked to PTSD. The study did not investigate the causes of PTSD, or whether TBI is the trigger for PTSD.

Other findings:

• More soldiers reported PTSD symptoms at home (14 percent) than in Iraq (9 percent).

• More soldiers reported concussions or TBI at home (22 percent) than in Iraq (9 percent).

• Many citizen-soldiers who answered they did not have mild TBI or PTSD symptoms actually did, with 64 percent reporting distractibility and irritability; 60 percent reporting memory problems; 57 percent reporting ringing in the ears; and 23 percent reporting balance problems.