The transition from Warrior to civilian is not easy no matter what branch of service we served in or what our jobs may have been. My transition is probably not much different than others, difficult and not pleasant. So I hope with this blog you may find information, direction, or maybe just some comfort.
What is PTSD?? here is an information link. That will help you to understand more about your PTSD. http://www.veteransinfo.org/id28.html
My first experience was with the VA hospitals and it was a challenge to figure it all out, where to go who to see etc, so here are some sites that will help guide you through their system. This site is a site that will help you find the closes VA to you. http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=0
This next site is a link to the VA sites map it has ALL sites that the VA has and for programs available to us, and links to your congressman which could help when filing a claim. http://www.va.gov/General/site_map.htm The most cutting edge equipment to help us with PTSD. http://www.defense-update.com/products/v/VR-PTSD.htm
Now being newly married we had to find support groups for PTSD, here are a few for the veterans also for our family members.
http://groups.msn.com/LivingwithPTSDVietnamWives/
http://www.iraqwarveterans.org/ptsd.html
http://www.giftfromwithin.org/html/groups.html
How Does PTSD Affect Families?
the Post Traumatic Gazette
http://www.patiencepress.com/samples/2ndIssue.html
MILITARY FAMILIES AND VETERANS ADVOCATES TO TESTIFY BEFORE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TASK FORCE ON MENTAL HEALTH DESPITE DOD OBSTACLES.
Despite these efforts to operate below the radar, military families and advocates will attend the hearings and provide testimony regarding the real life mental health impact of deployment and the barriers to care in the military community. WHEN: Press conference Tuesday November 21st, 4:00 pm. DOD Open briefings,1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Public testimony, 4:35 pm. WHERE: Double Tree Hotel San Francisco International Airport, 835 Airport Boulevard, Burlingame. WHY: 450,000, one in three, Iraq veterans return from deployment with post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health needs. Suicide among active troops has skyrocketed. PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury are the signature wounds of theses wars, and yet the military has failed to ensure timely and adequate mental health resources for those enduring the sacrifices of deployment. War causes wounds and suffering that last beyond the battlefield. Our mission is to heal the wounds, to restore dignity, hope, and self-sufficiency to all veterans in need, and to reduce homelessness and poverty among veterans. Learn more about the work of Swords to Plowshares, and ways in which you can help, by visiting our website at http://www.stp-sf.org/.
Here is the VA Best Practice Manual for (PTSD) Compensation & Pension Examination.
http://www.avapl.org/pub/PTSD%20Manual%20final%206.pdf
