PTSD and the Women it Affects: 5 Army Programs that Help the Family

As I have said in previous articles regarding this issue, soldiers and Marines do not like talking about their experiences from the wars they have been in. They often feel that what they saw and felt when down range (deployed) is their burden to carry and is not or cannot be understood by those who have not been there to see it or feel it like they have.

They often feel inferior to those who haven't gone. They feel that their women have it easier back home and have nothing to complain about since they have gone through the unimaginable. The women feel emotionally neglected and can sometimes be exposed to verbal or even physical abuse. War vets who suffer from PTSD often turn to alcohol and become extremely introverted while at home. If these issues are not handled correctly early on the veteran may stay that way and have trouble later on changing back to the way he was prior to the war.

1. Know the programs and services in place.

One program that is growing in popularity is the wounded warrior program or otherwise known as WTB (Warrior Transition Battalion). Most Army installations now have this special unit in place and it is simply there for soldiers that have been wounded or those suffering from PTSD or both. The programs mission is to help the soldier heal by taking the stress of normal Army life off his/her shoulders for a while and get them the medical treatment necessary to help them either become a better civilian or better soldier. The wounded warrior program is initiated by a packet and usually requires medical diagnosis of the symptoms the soldier is suffering from.

Families can benefit from this program. The soldier will find himself/herself thrust into a situation where it is okay to feel the effects of war and will find that the professionals that work in the wounded warrior program are there to help. With the support of the wounded warrior program and a loving, supportive family, a soldier will often times heal from the PTSD and be ready to take on a more loving and supportive role within the family.

2. Family Life Centers

Most Army installations have family life centers. Here you will find Chaplains who have advanced training and degrees, both in spiritual and ministerial and in counseling and coping with grief. They have unique aids that can help dull the memories from deployments, give quality counseling time to the husband and wife and most of the Chaplains have been deployed at least once themselves so they bring a factor of understanding and experience, something rare to find elsewhere.

Family life counselors and Chaplains will see children, spouses or all in the same session and, depending on the installation, may have group therapy available as well. For more information call your local family life center.

3. Military One Source

Some soldiers suffering from PTSD will not want to be seen at the hospital visiting a counselor or at the Chaplain's office. This may be an annoyance to the spouse but understand that the Army breeds soldiers to feel that seeing a professional is a sign of weakness.

To solve this problem call the military one source or search them out online using google or another search engine. They generally operate twenty-four hours a day and are very discreet. They will set your soldier up with an off post Chaplain or counselor for up to five sessions. If after the five sessions are over the soldier will need to get a referral from their primary care provider to see the counselor more often due to insurance reasons.

Military One Source will also help spouses and children.

4. PWOC

PWOC stands for Protestant women of the Chapel and is a very good place for military spouses to find a network of women that understand what they are going through. While this is a Christian organization, they are generally open to helping any woman that is looking for help. They meet at Chapels at almost every installation and usually have childcare provided at their meetings.

For more information on PWOC call or stop by your local installation Chapel.

5. Marriage Retreats

Every unit in the Army should at one time or another be planning a marriage retreat. Some of these retreats will be at luxurious resorts while others may be held in hotels or camp grounds in your local areas. Utilization of these retreats is highly recommended as they are military funded and usually have expert trainers and in-depth curriculum.

They may also be known as marriage enrichment seminars. Get with your spouse's unit's Chaplain or FRG (Family Readiness Group) to find out more or when the next one is. Sometimes leadership fails to provide the soldier with information on the retreats or he forgets to mention it to his spouse so it is highly recommended that the spouse take a proactive approach in this area.

If you have any questions or concerns please leave a comment and I will respond as soon as possible. Thank you and good luck.