The concept “wounded
war veteran” generally suggests an obvious physical injury.
Yet it may surprise readers to learn that, by far, the most common
war injuries—both today and in past wars—are
the invisible wounds. Somewhere between a fifth to a third of all Vietnam veterans
developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many suffered for years before
learning the cause of their symptoms and getting treatment and/or disability
compensation. Three times more Vietnam veterans have killed themselves after
returning home than were killed in Vietnam. Currently, 44% of Gulf War I veterans
are receiving disability payments for a variety of conditions.
No one knows how high the disability rate for the current wars will
be, but emerging numbers are quite alarming. Already one-third of returning
soldiers are receiving psychiatric diagnoses, and that rate is likely
to increase with time.
One of the local efforts to address this crisis with returning vets
(and their families) is the Coming Home Collaborative (CHC). CHC is
an open and growing volunteer association of people who are concerned
with the needs of veterans, especially those currently re-integrating
with their families and communities. The collaborative seeks to stimulate
early intervention to prevent the secondary losses that often occur
to people with undiagnosed disabilities, like loss of relationships,
jobs, homes, and sobriety. In its work within faith communities, the
CHC hopes to help people recover from the invisible wounds of war,
especially the spiritual aspects of post-war responses.
Since this year’s Veteran’s Day is a Sunday (11/11./07),
the CHC is urging churches to observe the traditional 11 a.m. two minutes
of silence in prayer for the health and healing of our military. Says
Mark Smith, LICSW of CHC, “A small percentage of our citizenry—military
personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families—are
making great sacrifices.
“Since this year’s
Veteran’s Day is a Sunday (11/11/07), the CHC is
urging churches to observe the traditional 11 a.m. two
minutes of silence . . . . ”
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Many soldiers are returning
from the Middle East with combat stress syndrome that has the potential
to impair them for life. We hope that local churches can use Veterans
Day as a way to get involved in the healing journey for these sisters
and brothers.”
Invisible Wounds, Unseen Disabilities
The Combat Stress Unit officers
based at Ft. Snelling say that currently every soldier returns from
deployment with combat operational stress reaction (see the accompanying
box for signs and symptoms.) It is not known what percentage of those
with combat operational stress—without
intervention—will end up with a long-term disability.
Post-deployment depression and anxiety are common for military personnel.
Less commonly understood is PTSD.
People with PTSD suffer clinically significant distress or long-term
loss of functioning after a trauma such as assault, or rape (experienced
by a quarter of women soldiers). Sufferers typically re-experience
the trauma sensations. Veterans may experience flashbacks in which
they believe themselves to be in combat. They may be troubled by memories,
feel numbed to emotions, avoid situations that might trigger painful
memories and feelings, and anger or startle easily.
Invisible wounding also
includes Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which has been called the “signature injury” of
this war because of the prevalence of Improvised Explosive Device
(IED) injuries. Shock waves from an explosion can cause damage
without the victim even knowing it.
Toxins can also cause invisible wounds. The military has an unfortunate
pattern from the Vietnam and Gulf wars of denying the impact of war-related
toxins (such as Agent Orange and Gulf War syndrome) for years before
awarding healthcare and disability benefits. Many soldiers were exposed
to the aftermath of the explosion of the armory at the Baghdad-area
Camp Falcon on October 10, 2006. So far, the military has provided
no information about what toxins may have been released.
The VA now recognizes fourteen medical conditions (including diabetes
and testicular cancer) as having been caused by the toxins of Agent
Orange-type substances. Many widows of Vietnam veterans may be entitled
to benefits if their deceased spouse had one of these conditions, since
some soldiers in Vietnam had been given milk unknowingly reconstituted
with dioxin-laced water. Veterans should document their exposure to
toxins and traumas while they still have the memory and before they
lose contact with witnesses.
Getting Help
“The dilemma,” says
Gary Schoener, director of Walk-In Counseling Center and founding
member of CHC, “is how to get help to those
who need it without stereotyping all veterans as ‘troubled’ This
is particularly challenging since much of the invisible wounding
is complicated by denial, anger, self-isolation, forgetfulness and
distrust.”
Once source of help, of
course, is the Veterans Affairs administration—a
massive bureaucracy that is charged with providing health care and
benefits to veterans and their families. Veteran’s Service
Officers for each county can help people receive the benefits to
which they are entitled.
An experienced veteran’s service officer recommends that
those who send in a disability claim limit themselves to a one
page description. He says that since the employees must process
a certain number of claims per day, they tend to complete the thin
files first!
The Government Accountability Office is investigating reports that
some soldiers who have symptoms of PTSD or TBI have been offered lump
sum payments if they will sign a form admitting to a different diagnosis,
such as personality disorder, which is not service-related. While the
settlement is tempting, it is small change to the amount they may be
entitled to over a lifetime of disability.
Beyond advocacy for governmental
support, however, CHC is researching how veterans can heal from
trauma. Organizers believe that faith communities can play a significant
role in promoting best outcomes for veterans. They hope that
many groups will use this year’s Sunday Veterans
Day as a springboard for organizing their members and reaching
out to the returning veterans and their families in their midst,
offering support for the difficult journey of coming home from war. ![]()
Amy Blumenshine, MSW, convened
the CHC in 2005. For more info about CHC, e-mail ListenToVets@comcast.net For
Veteran’s
Day ideas, visit www.mpls-synod.org/resources/vets_resources.html
Combat Operational Stess
Signs and Symptons
• Sleep problems
• Memory Problems/Forgetfulness
• Nightmares
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Anger
• Heightened “Startle” response
• Irritability
• Flashbacks
• Excessive Alcohol and Drug Use
• Guilt
• Self criticism
• Pounding Heart
• Intrusive thoughts
• Confused about Religion
• Loss of Objectivity
• Anger at God
• Depression
• Feeling Overwhelmed
Interpersonal Reactions
• Difficulty talking
about deployment experiences
• Difficulty readjusting to family routines
• Difficulty reconnecting with children & spouse
• Discomfort being around other people
From handout at National Guard community workshop
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