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PTSD / Combat Operational Stress in Garrison Commands

PTSD / Combat Operational Stress in Garrison Commands. The New Norm:.

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PTSD / Combat Operational Stress in Garrison Commands

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  1. PTSD / Combat Operational Stress in Garrison Commands

  2. The New Norm: “All I knew was war. During my first term I was either working up for a deployment to Iraq or in Iraq. I experienced excitement, fear, sadness, pride, satisfaction. . .I was relevant. It was exactly what I signed up to do. With war as my only point of reference, coming to a training command and dealing with the monotony of the mission coupled with the monotony of home-life rocked my world. To a Marine who only knows war, peace sucks.”

  3. While we are surging resources to address PTSD / Combat Operational Stress to the Operating Forces, are we resourcing the Garrison Commands enough? • Where do combat vets go after the operating forces and what resources do we have to address their needs? • When is PTSD most likely to manifest – operating forces or garrison? • We must resource operating force commands and garrison commands alike to deal with this persistent byproduct of war.

  4. Al Nasariyah 04 Al Najaf 04 Al Ramadi 06 SOI 09 Recruiting 11 +5 Years Fallujah 04 Instructor BN 10 Fallujah II 04 Drill Field 09 Where are the challenges now?

  5. Instructor Battalion, The Basic School: • 1004 Marines in Instructor Battalion • 763 combat vets • 80% with Multiple tours • Fallujah 2004-2005 • Ramadi 2005-2006 • Al Quaim 2005 • Haditha 2006 • 691 Married Marines • Divorce Rate? • Post Deployment Divorce? • 678 NCOs

  6. 300 ~ PTSD – Tip of the Iceberg? • 270 ~ The New Norm • General Anxiety • Domestic Tensions • Increased Alcohol Use • Sleep Disorders • 20 ~ Misconduct • Domestic Abuse • Alcohol Abuse • Drug Abuse • Reckless Behavior • 10 ~ Never Be the Same • PEBs • Suicide • Administrative Separation

  7. A Combustible Mix: • *1st Tour OpTempo – PTSD • *$$$$ from Combat Pay and Reenlistment bonuses (average in BN=$31,000) • *Impulsive, Immature, Dysfunctional • Marriages • *Transfer to supporting establishment – time on their hands. • The demons come to the surface once their life slows down.

  8. VA Deployment Health Clinic Wilmington Marine Checks In Domestic Abuse Alcohol Abuse Reckless Driving Drugs Financial Early Intervention/Prevention React/Respond Small Group Discussion w/ Military Family Life Consultants OSCAR Wounded Warrior PDHRA/ PHA Incident Bethesda FRO Interview Family Readiness Command Team Mental Health

  9. Garrison Command Challenges: • No Medical Officer – Commander’s Health Readiness Advisor. • HIPAA – and other bureaucratic obstacles. • Repetitiveness, irrelevance, isolation, monotony, loss of identity. • Longing for combat – “what they only know.” • I used to be somebody – Now a Sgt among Sgts (IB issue). • The Combustible Mix.

  10. Are we prepared for the challenges of tomorrow? Marjah 10 More Helmand 11 SOI 15 Recruiting 17 +5 Years Kandahar 10/11? Instructor BN 16 Unknown 12 Drill Field16

  11. Conclusions: • We have mobilized the operating forces for war, but what of the supporting establishment? • The psychological/emotional wounds of war can surface later when tempo slows making the garrison commands the likely place where support is required.

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